Poland police: Thieves now breaking windows in cars

Staff report

POLAND

Township police are urging residents not to leave valuables in their cars as vehicle break-ins continue in the township and surrounding areas.

“Before, it was just lock your cars. But it doesn’t matter now. They’re going to smash windows,” said Brian Goodin, township police chief.

A police report filed Nov. 7 details break-ins that occurred on Indian Trail, Sharrott Road and Rockland Drive in which about $1,700 worth of property was stolen from vehicles parked on those streets.

A series of car break-ins took place in the township during the past several months, but the suspects in those cases targeted only unlocked vehicles, Goodin said.

“They smashed the windows to get what they wanted out,” Goodin said of the most-recent case. “We’ve not had them smashing windows [before].”

Last month, 17 people were indicted for car break-ins and burglaries in the Poland/Springfield areas after the Mahoning Valley Law Enforcement Task Force investigated the incidents.

Task-force members said the indictments should cut down the number of area car break-ins.

“Every time you put one group away, another one pops up,” Goodin said.

He said the most-important thing residents can do is stop leaving valuables in their cars since it is likely the thieves will only break into vehicles if they see something of value.