Reminder to lock your vehicles

A resident of Griswold Street passed note that someone had rifled through his car’s glove box last Thursday or Friday when it was left unlocked in their driveway. It may be related to a recent incident that happened in Belmont:

Belmont, Mass. – Thieves broke into more than a dozen unlocked vehicles in one night last week, making off with thousands of dollars worth of stolen property ranging from power tools to electronics to spare change, according to police.

The culprits apparently struck the neighborhood of side streets between Concord Avenue and School Street across from Clay Pit Pond in the early morning hours of Nov. 20, according to police records. Police have so far received reports of 13 vehicles being broken into, with a price tag of more than $4,000 in missing property.

All the vehicles were reportedly parked in their owners’ driveways and left unlocked. The break-ins are believed to have been a coordinated effort, according to the police.

“For one night it’s a lot,” said Lt. Richard Santangelo, a police department spokesman. “We certainly hope it’s not a trend and it’s just a one night incident. We’re going to try to increase our patrols in those areas.”

The reported thefts occurred on Louise, Stone and Watson roads, and School, Oak and Goden streets.

An Orchard Street resident reportedly spotted a man who police believe could have been involved in the break-ins after the suspect allegedly set off the resident’s car alarm around 3 a.m.

The resident told police he went outside to investigate the alarm and saw an individual walking away from his house. When the resident questioned the man, he reportedly fled on foot down Orchard Street toward Concord Avenue.

The resident described the man as in his late teens or early 20s and dressed in all black.

When officers were searching the area for the suspect, they noted vehicles parked on Louise Road and Emerson and Oak streets that appeared to have been broken into, but they were unable to locate the suspect.

Shortly after daybreak, calls started to trickle in from residents who discovered their vehicles had been entered, glove compartments rifled and in most cases, items stolen.

The thief or thieves reportedly targeted items that were light enough to conceal and carry, including two GPS units, an iPod and a laptop. The culprits also reportedly helped themselves to $70 in loose change, according to the reports.

“It’s anything easy to carry away with a quick hit,” said Santangelo. “Anything small and valuable they can stick in a pocket or backpack and head out and go to the next car.”

The thieves also stocked up on some larger items. At a School Street address, a resident reported that in addition to his laptop, a power saw, screw gun and cordless drill had also been taken. He said the missing property was worth about $3,000.

Santangelo said officers dusted for fingerprints at one or two of the scenes and recovered a chrome-encased compass a thief had stolen from a vehicle and dropped a short distance later. Officers are still processing the evidence.

There has been a fairly steady stream of vehicle break-ins stretching back to the summer and the problem has continued to surface for several years. But last week’s thefts represent a major spike in the number of break-ins. Police have repeatedly warned residents to lock their cars even when they’re left in driveways or garages and to not leave valuables unattended.

Santangelo said police alerted residents using an automated call system and put a message on the electronic sign next to the Lion’s Club warning residents once again to take precautions. He said when he went to put an alert on the department’s Web site, he found there was already one there left over from last summer.

Santangelo recommended residents leave their cars in open areas and consider installing motion-activated floodlights in their driveways, and, once again, to keep cars locked.

“It’s just common sense stuff,” he said. “Sometimes the easiest things are the hardest ones to do.”