Car break-ins on the rise in Fort Wayne

FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WANE) - The Fort Wayne Police Department is investigating a recent string of car break-ins.

During the week of August 27, 36 car thefts alone were reported. Purses, wallets, check books, credit cards, cash, cell phones, jewelry, GPS units, laptops, CDs, clothing, digital equipment, stereos, loose change, medication, and garage door openers were among the items stolen from the vehicles.

Fort Wayne police officer Raquel Foster said there have been more than 70 cases reported in July of this year.

She said these crimes have a low solvability rate – that is, there is little evidence to follow-up on at the scene because a lot of times, the thieves don't leave any fingerprints behind.

Prime targets for car break-ins include: parking lots of nightclubs, exercise facilities, apartment complexes, hotels, shopping plazas, churches, and also residential neighborhoods.

Investigators say the crimes may be related, however, the thieves did not target a specific area of Fort Wayne.

The FWPD has these tips on how you can prevent becoming a car theft victim:
• Park your vehicle in well-lit areas;
• Always secure your vehicle’s doors and windows;
• Never leave valuable items in your vehicle; if necessary to leave valuables in your vehicle, then hide them prior to arriving at your destination.
• Always document serial numbers of valuable items.
• Install an alarm on your vehicle;
• Check your vehicle prior to exiting; ensure that you didn't leave valuables in plain view.