Car Break-ins

[rob!]

There has been a steady run of car break-ins the past couple of weeks. Meigs, Cayuga, Weider, Mt. Vernon and Nikolson have been the streets hit thus far that I know of. Almost all of them are done through the small window on either rear passenger door (some cars have this, some don't). The thieves then typically take the stereo (or try, a few people said they couldn't get theirs out) and anything else of value in the car.

These have all happened to friends of mine and one neighbor within the past three weeks.

Just trying to raise awareness. I know this sort of thing is typical.

[Sean]

Everytime the weather gets warm this happens. When I first moved to the wedge it happend once a month for 3 month. Than I lit my house up like the griswolds and hasnt happend since. Add light and it deters them from it. THe 4 dogs also help too :-)

[Mark U.]

yea, you could also mount some razor blades on the underside of the stereo - if they do go at it, they'll leave a nice blood trail back to their crib...

[Joanne]

I'm a resident of Cypress Street (near Mt Hope.) A few weeks ago my car was broken into sometime between 10pm and 8am. Nothing appeared to have been taken. All of my CDs were scattered on the front seat. Everything had been taken out of the glove box and the driver's door was left slightly ajar.
I'm in the habit of locking my doors each time I exit the car. I suppose I may have left it unlocked allowing someone unforced entry, but my gut tells me the person may have had a tool since it's so ingrained for me to lock it.
I have two dogs, but didn't hear either of them bark at the stealth entrant.

[Tracy Saville]

Critical to avoiding break ins is to make sure you leave NOTHING in the car. I keep my car free of items so that thieves can see there is nothing to gain. I feel your pain though, I've had cars broken into while at The Little, when I lived on Park Ave as well as the dreaded Rustic Village. In those days I had a removable face plate stereo and kept forgetting to remove the plate. Removing broken glass from a car sucks.

[Greg]

I know that the police do make an effort to step up patrols on streets that have had an increase in break ins. So report these crimes to the RPD if you haven't already.

[andrea]

we live on hickory street and my H's car was broken into and vandalized about 3 weeks after we moved in in january. it was damaged so badly the insurance company totalled the car! my SUV, which has an alarm, also has a broken drivers door lock, and so the alarm works but not the lock. and so if you open the door, the alarm goes off. so far it's been tripped twice in the last 8 weeks or so. i wish i could have seen the face of the would be thief when the alarm went off... it scares me even when i know it's gonna go off!

we installed a motion detector light at the front of the driveway, i'm not sure if it's helped. we'll see..... if it continues, we'll install a camera there.

[Joanne]

It seems car break ins and theft is a prevalent issue in our south wedge neighborhood.
I grew up in the Beachwood neighborhood and when the level of petty crime started to rise, my neighbors started what was called a neighborhood watch. They posted signs, had rotations of neighborhood walks and often sat out side on their front porches in the evenings.
I was too young to remember if it really made a difference but maybe we could give it a try?

[Robert Boyd]

There are some things that can be done to reduce the risk of a car breakin-
Lock car - believe it or not many people do not lock the car
Do not leave any money - including change in the car to be seen
Do not leave any electronics in the car - even in glove compartment
Do not leave charges in plain site

If your car is broken into please call the police and file a report - that is important