Capt. Michael Schwamberger of the Greenfield Police Department is asking car owners to remove valuables from their vehicles and lock their car doors.
HANCOCK COUNTY — A rash of car break-ins this past weekend and last weekend is keeping officials with the Greenfield Police Department and Hancock County Sheriff’s Department busy.
On Sunday, both departments reported numerous car break-ins where someone stole everything they could get their hands on, from weapons to ear pods, cash, personal information and, in some cases, cars.
From Thursday to Monday, officials with the GPD completed approximately 12 reported vehicle break-in reports. Most of the break-ins occurred at apartment complex parking lots and all of the vehicles were unlocked during the time of the theft.
“These are crimes of opportunity,” Capt. Michael Schwamberger of the GPD said. “In 99.9% of these crimes, the car doors have been unlocked, and that’s unfortunate.”
According to reports, officials from the Sheriff’s Department investigated a car break-in the 4000 block of W. Potomac Drive, Greenfield, located in the Washington Village Apartment complex behind the Dollar General Store on U.S. 40 around 7:30 a.m. Sunday, Aug. 28.
That’s where a person reported a firearm was stolen overnight from a vehicle. That specific report was one of several in the neighborhood where cars were broken into.
While there doesn’t appear to be a pattern as to where the thefts are taking place, most have been reported in normally quiet communities where people are used to leaving their cars in the driveway or on the street.
“What normally happens in these types of crimes is someone drops off people in a neighborhood and they go up and down the street pulling on car handles finding which are unlocked and which ones are not,” Schwamberger said. “It takes them literally 30 seconds and that’s why they are hard to catch.”
Officials from the GPD investigated several car break-ins the past few days, including a call for police to investigate several break-ins reported in the 1000 block of Capestone Drive in a neighborhood east of Apple Street and West of U.S. 40.
One of the thefts there reported a wallet was taken from an unlocked vehicle. Still another person, near that neighborhood in the 1000 block of E. Third Street, Greenfield, reported their car was ransacked overnight, Sunday, Aug. 28. They reported a social security card and the title to the vehicle were missing.
Officials from the GPD started looking into reports of car break-ins last weekend when Friday, Aug. 19, through Sunday, Aug. 21, the GPD completed approximately six reported vehicle break-ins. The reported break-ins took place at either an apartment complex or a neighborhood, and again all vehicles were unlocked during the time of the theft.
In three of those cases, the thieves stole the car, officials said. Police also reported the theft of a gun left inside one of the vehicles. The thefts started near the 200 block of Depot Street and then spread across town, officials said.
Schwamberger noted officials won’t say yet if the break-ins from last weekend and this past weekend are connected, but there is a likelihood they are.
“They do appear to be similar,” Schwamberger said.
Officials are reminding county residents to lock their car doors because all of the cars in the thefts have been in unlocked vehicles. Officials noted the thieves are cagey and look for headlights coming down a street and listen for people being outside before they make their move.
“They’re smart about it,” Schwamberger said. “They’re not smashing windows making a lot of noise to get into cars. These are mostly unlocked cars with weapons, jewelry and things left inside.”
Schwamberger noted county residents need to get into the habit of locking all car and home doors every night before heading to bed and taking all valuables inside, particularly weapons, cash and personal information.
Officials with the GPD say anyone in the area where the car break-ins have occurred who has video or any information about the crimes should contact the GPD at (317) 477-4410.
