The Galesburg Police Department says they have seen about 10 burglaries to motor vehicles in the last couple of days, mostly involving small stolen items like wallets and phones.
A large concentration of the car break ins was reported in the area north of Main Street and west of Henderson Street.
GPD Capt. Rodney Riggs tells WGIL that waves of motor vehicle burglaries like these tend to happen as the weather gets nicer.
“People are just out walking around late at night,” Riggs says, “A lot of the times people aren’t actually going out with the intent to burglarize cars, but they seize the opportunity when they find an open car door. They see something inside the car that they want. Cell phones, money, change. Anything like that. Just make sure it’s not visible.”
He adds that people should make sure to lock their car doors — even vehicles stored in garages. As Riggs explained, would-be burglars will open unlocked garage doors and rifle through the unlocked cars.
Riggs says strings of burglaries like this one are pretty common.
“When they start, they usually come in bunches,” he says. “And it’s not a new thing. It happens every year about this time.”
Riggs says the best method of prevention is simple: “Lock your car doors.”
