Increase in thefts from cars, stolen firearms in Columbia from last year

According to the Columbia Police Department there have been 436 thefts out of cars reported in Columbia in 2017, compared to only 275 by this point last year.

However the values of the property stolen is similar across the two years. Over $211,000 stolen out of cars so far in 2017, and over $208,000 by this time in 2016. In all of 2016 nearly $400,000 was stolen from cars across 572 thefts.

Public Information Officer Bryana Maupin says the majority of these crimes stem from unlocked car doors. “This is something we can prevent,” said Maupin.

The value of firearms stolen, across all burglaries and larcenies, has also increased since last year.

This year more than approximately $74,000 in firearms have been stolen. By this time in 2016 that number was more than $38,000.

“We’re seeing a lot of firearms stolen out of motor vehicles,” Maupin said. “We’re now seeing them being used in the commission of other crimes…”