Area police departments say this is not unusual for this time of year and offer advice.
Lock your car, take your keys, and don’t leave anything valuable in your vehicle.
That advice comes from several local police departments after the usual seasonal increase in automobile break-ins in neighborhoods across the region.
There have been 19 car break-ins in Spotsylvania County in the last month, during which items were taken from unlocked cars. In at least one these cases, a firearm was stolen.
Liz Scott, a spokeswoman with the Spotsylvania Sheriff’s Office, says there have been groups of young people combing some neighborhoods in the early morning hours looking for unlocked cars. They are carrying backpacks to haul away whatever they can steal from the cars including cell phones, laptops, purses, and loose change.
Most of the break-ins have been in subdivisions in the Salem Fields area, though the Silver Apartment complex in the Southpoint area was also hit this past month.
There have been at least three similar incidents in Stafford County in the Leland Station and Garrison Woods subdivisions.
Stafford Sheriff’s Office spokesman Ryan Wilbur says this kind of incident increases this time of year when school is out. The break-ins usually occur between 1 and 3 a.m. when most people are asleep.
In the City of Fredericksburg, there have been five vehicle break-ins in the last month. Police department spokeswoman Jessica Carter says that is not unusual for this time of year.
Police are advising homeowners to remove anything valuable from their cars and make sure the car is locked, even if it’s parked in the driveway. This includes garage door openers, which could give thieves access to your home.
Other suggestions for protecting your car include an outside light that shines on your driveway and is motion-activated.
Ring cameras or similar video devices often sound an alarm if someone approaches your home, but they are usually not loud enough to wake homeowners when they are sleeping.
Some homeowners intentionally leave their doors unlocked so that potential burglars won’t smash the window to get in. Even if there is nothing visible, police say this is a bad idea, as thieves may go in and trash the car looking for something they can sell.
Scott, in Spotsylvania, is also advising community members to report any attempted or successful break-in so the Sheriff’s Office can step up patrols in certain areas if necessary.
by Hank Silverberg
CORRESPONDENT
