Thefts From Vehicles—

Police Urge Residents To Lock Unattended Vehicles

By Andrew Gorosko

In view of a recent rash of thefts of small, valuable items from unlocked motor vehicles, police are urging residents to keep their vehicles locked when they are unattended as a deterrent to theft.

Police Sergeant Darlene Froehlich said this week that simply keeping a vehicle locked and secured when it is unattended can thwart what otherwise could be a theft of items from that vehicle.

As an example of such security measures, based on physical evidence found at the scene, police determined that someone, without permission, walked up a residential driveway on Quail Hollow Lane, off Philo Curtis Road, sometime between 9:30 pm on August 9, and 7:45 am on August 10. That person possibly was checking whether a vehicle parked there was unlocked, police said. That vehicle was locked and no theft occurred.

Police ask anyone with information on the suspicious incident to contact Officer John McCluskey at the police station at 426-5841.

Also, sometime during the night of August 7 or morning of August 8, someone stole a global positioning system (GPS) navigation unit from an unlocked vehicle parked at a residence on Pole Bridge Road, police said. The home is near the intersection of Pole Bridge Road and Jeremiah Road. Officer Todd Dingee is investigating. 

Based on another investigation, police determined that sometime between 5 pm on August 6, and 6 am on August 7, someone entered an unlocked vehicle that was parked in the driveway of a Riverside Road residence and stole approximately $8 worth of loose change from the vehicle. The home is near the intersection of Riverside Road and Timbermill Road.

Police are investigating the larceny and ask anyone with information on the case to contact Officer Liam Seabrook.

On the morning of August 6, police received complaints about items being stolen from several unlocked vehicles that were parked near two Quail Hollow Lane residences.

Police learned that a Sirius-brand satellite radio unit, an Apple-brand iPod digital music player, and sunglasses were stolen in the incident. Police are investigating.

Also, police report five individual thefts of items from unlocked motor vehicles in the area of Bridge End Farm Lane and Ford Road in Sandy Hook, sometime between 10 pm on July 31, and 7 am on August 1. Those roads extend from Walnut Tree Hill Road.

Approximately $1,000 worth of items were stolen from the unlocked vehicles, police said. Police said someone entered the vehicles that were parked unlocked in residential driveways and stole the items from within.

Stolen items include GPS navigation units, digital cameras, and radar detectors. Thieves often convert such items into cash to obtain money to buy drugs, police said.

Police urge anyone with information on who stole the items to contact Officer Seabrook.

Police said it is unclear if the same person or persons are responsible for the various incidents involving thefts from vehicles.