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Visible valuables stolen from unlocked cars
By amanda tonoli
AUSTINTOWN
Thefts from parked cars are on the rise throughout the township, and police are finding items are being taken from unlocked vehicles.
As of Monday there have been 121 thefts from cars for the year. In all of 2014 there were 104.
In 2014, from January to November, there were 94 thefts. In 2015 there were 121.
Items stolen include money, purses, checks and medication.
A common trend is the placement of the items within the cars in plain sight on the front seat.
Detective Jordan Yacovone advised residents it is best to keep valuables out of the car.
Medication was taken from an open purse on the passenger seat of a car parked on Laurie Drive on Tuesday.
“There are some ransacked glove boxes or console areas, but it’s mostly items that were sitting in sight,” said Capt. Bryan Kloss.
Another trend is a majority of the cars that were broken into were left unlocked.
“We don’t see too many smashed windows; it’s mostly just people pulling on door handles,” Yacovone said.
Kloss said smashed windows could attract attention, and opening doors does not.
Last week, $6,700 and company checks were taken from an unlocked car’s console on Pinegrove Avenue.
The crimes are not area specific, Kloss said. They are spread throughout the township, and the thefts are usually at night.
Yacovone said many of the crimes of opportunity are in areas with apartment complexes, but residential areas have been reporting similar thefts.
Years ago, Austintown had the same issue, but after various arrests of some people, thefts had slowed until the last few weeks, Kloss said.
“It kind of moves. New groups pick up where old ones left off – it’s an ongoing thing,” Yacovone said. “Once we make an arrest, it subsides, but there is always another group. Groups travel from jurisdiction to jurisdiction.”
Yacovone said the police department is and always has been successful in apprehending and prosecuting these individuals.
“Every case is investigated and taken very seriously,” Yacovone said.