Car Burglaries Way, Way Up

The frequency of car burglaries has more than doubled the last two years, with 237 break-ins reported by this time in 2014 and nearly 500 incidents documented so far this year, police captains Todd Stoney and Alex Altavilla told the City Council this Tuesday.

To blame, the captains said, are car owners leaving their vehicles unlocked and their valuables in plain view, and new state laws that have reduced jail time for certain lower-level offenders. The police often know the identities of repeat car burglars, but do not have the means to keep them in custody and off the streets, Stoney said.

In addition to developing new enforcement strategies, which Altavilla said he didn’t want to make public, police have also put together a public awareness campaign, including a TV spot that reminds people to lock their cars and hide or cover their possessions.