Law enforcement responds to string of car break-ins

Police reports indicate there have been almost 50 car break-ins in the last two weeks.

CPD confirms that five of those break-ins happened on the University of Missouri campus near Greek Town. Victims reported missing wallets, phones and money.

Most of the break-ins aren’t in a specific pattern, so they could happen anywhere in the city. Law enforcement said these break-ins usually happen overnight.

“It’s unlikely that a thief is going to hit your car when you’re running into the convenience store,” said Detective Tom O’Sullivan, with the Boone County Sheriff’s Department. “Most of these occur late at night, in the early morning hours, in subdivisions, or parking garages.”

Typically, one might envision thieves smashing windows and grabbing peoples’ valuables, but law enforcement says people are making it much easier for thieves lately.

“We see quite frequently that when valuables are stolen from a vehicle, it seems like 99 out of 100 times it was through an unlocked door that the thief gained entry,” said O’Sullivan.

He said that keeping the doors locked would deter thieves who are just checking doors. But in order to completely avoid a theft, smashed window or otherwise, law enforcement recommends keeping all valuables out of sight, or out of the car if you’re not in it.

“It’s not a good idea to leave your laptop out there, but if your car is locked, chances are the thief will just move to the next vehicle,” said O’Sullivan. “But I can’t rule out that they wouldn’t take a tire iron to your window and bust it out. That’s why you avoid the problem in the first place by not leaving valuables in plain sight.”

If someone has been the victim of a car break-in, they can call local law enforcement to report it. Items often have serial numbers that can be traced back to the item, and police or deputies can find valuables that way.