Garage door openers used in burglaries

FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WANE) – The Fort Wayne Police Department (FWPD) is currently investigating a string of seven related burglaries in which remote garage door openers were stolen from vehicles and used to get into garages and steal various items.

According to the FWPD, the burglaries happened over a five-day span between January 20 and January 25 within a couple blocks of each other on the city’s north side.

The first incident was reported at 7:16 a.m. on January 20, in the 4100 block of Kentland Avenue. The victim reported that someone got into his unlocked vehicle and took his remote garage door opener. The garage door to the home was found open, but nothing was stolen other than the garage door opener.

The second incident was reported around 8:30 a.m. that same day in the 400 block of Hampton Avenue. A man reported that when he woke up he found the overhead garage door opened to his attached garage. He told police that he believed that the suspect got into his wife’s unlocked van that was parked in the drive, took the remote garage door opener, and used it to get into the garage and steal a Thompson muzzleloader and scope, compound bow and a cross bow.

The next four incidents were reported on January 24.

Around 4 a.m., a man in the 4100 block of Vail Court reported that while in bed he heard his garage door open and found that the door to his vehicle that was parked inside his garage was also open. He also reported that the remote garage door opener was missing from his second vehicle, which was parked unlocked, outside the garage.

Around 6:47 a.m., a woman reported in the 1300 block of Trick Avenue that sometime overnight someone got into her unlocked vehicles and stole the remote garage door openers. She further reported that when she woke up she found the garage door was open. At the scene, no items were reported missing other than the garage door openers.

Then, around 10:15 a.m., a man reported in 4000 block of Patrick Lane, that someone broke into his vehicle overnight, ransacked it and stole a wallet with business cards.

The last incident of the day was reported around noon when a man in the 4000 block of Aspen Court found that someone broke into his vehicle and took his GPS, remote garage door opener and two packs of cigarettes.

The final incident was reported just before 7 a.m. on January 25 in the 4100 block of Kentland Avenue. There, the victims reported that someone got into their vehicles, possibly through an unsecured sun roof and stole their remote garage door openers, then used them to get into their garage. In addition to the garage door openers, the victims reported soda pop and a hand drill were also stolen.

Police noted that several of the victims reported leaving vehicles unlocked or unsecured. They are reminding everyone to lock vehicle doors and windows, and to not leave valuable items - including a garage door opener - in your vehicle.

At this time, no reports indicated that the suspect(s) attempted to get into homes, but they are still encouraging residents to lock the door from the attached garage to homes so that anyone breaking into garage will not gain access to homes.

There is no suspect information at this time, but anyone with information regarding these investigations is encouraged to contact the City of Fort Wayne Police Department or CrimeStoppers at (260) 436-7867.

These incidents remain under investigation with the City of Fort Wayne Police Department and the Allen County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office.