Lock it, or lose it. Why car break-ins are up

Summer means going to the beach, warm weather and apparently, an increase in car break-ins according to AAA and local law enforcement.

Crime stats from the Wicomico County Sheriff’s office show that there were 78 thefts from motor vehicles from January to May of this year in the county,  in the last two months alone, 123.

Authorities attribute the increase in crime to the weather and say that “would-be” criminals often walk up and down streets looking for cars they can burglarize.

“(It’s)almost as if they’re trying every vehicle and and trying to find the ones that are unlocked. It’s actually very rare that they force entry into a vehicle, it does happen, but its very rare cause they don’t want to make noise, they want to go from car, to car, to car that’s unlocked and as see how much they can get,” said Lt. Tim Robinson of the Wicomico County Sheriff’s Office.

Robinson says almost 95 percent of thefts from motor vehicles happen because the doors are left unlocked, he adds what makes matters worse is a majority of the perpetrators are never caught.

“The thing that makes these crimes so hard to solve is many of times they occur in the middle of the night when there’s no witnesses around,” Robinson says.

Officials say some of the main things criminals look to steal are small items left in the car, such as change,  cell phones, wallets and GPS devices.    

According to authorities here in Wicomico county, those quick grabs are often sold for cash and used to fuel the area’s heroin problem.    

However as prevalent as this problem is, protecting yourself from becoming a victim  is an easy fix according to AAA.

“We always advise motorists to make sure their windows are closed and their doors are locked and leave nothing showing in your car,” says Christine Delise, spokesperson for AAA. “We also advise motorists to park in well-lit areas and and if you have a garage even better yet.”