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Car break-ins continue in Poland
POLAND
Local police departments are urging residents to lock their cars and secure their valuables, as a string of break-ins into vehicles in Poland Township and surrounding communities continues.
“People still seem to be leaving their cars unlocked because they think it’s not where they are, but it’s everywhere,” said Township Police Chief Brian Goodin.
“Everywhere” includes neighborhoods throughout the township — most recently streets on the eastern side of the township near Lowellville — as well as Coitsville Township, the Village of Lowellville, the city of Campbell and Pulaski Township, Pa., which borders Coitsville.
“They are definitely moving around,” said Coitsville Township Police Chief Michael Morris.
In June, five people were arrested in a series of break-ins that took place in Poland township.
Now, local police departments are looking for a different group of thieves, as they think it is possible it is one group committing the crimes.
Police reports from Poland township detail several break-ins that took place in August and September.
An Aug. 31 report lists more than $1,000 worth of cash and property stolen from various cars parked on Christopher Drive.
Vehicles on Dobbins and Struthers road also were targets.
Another report from Sept. 15 lists three victims from Stewart, Bedford and New Castle roads, an area which Goodin said is the most recent focus of the thieves.
“Lately it’s been up on the North Hill,” he said, referring to the part of the township that borders Lowellville.
As for Coitsville, Morris said the break-ins started about three weeks ago, and about 20 cars have been hit so far.
The Pulaski Township Police Department posted on its Facebook page Monday that three incidents of thefts had been reported in one night, all involving unlocked vehicles.
Most of the break-ins yield only items of minimal value for the thieves, Goodin said, but said it’s a fast, easy way to make enough money to buy drugs, which he believes is the motivation behind the thefts.
“Usually that’s what it comes back to; to supply their drug habit,” he said. “Sometimes they just trade [items] for drugs. There are occasions when they take them to pawn shops.”
Police said it is difficult to catch anyone in connection with the thefts.
The Campbell Police Department recently implemented foot patrols, in which officers in plain clothes walk around neighborhoods at night, to deal with the issue.
Goodin said the thieves have not been breaking windows to get into cars, so a simple solution is for people just to lock their cars.
“Take all valuable items out of the cars and lock the doors,” he said.