UPDATE: Rash of Vehicle Burglaries in Batavia, Geneva, St. Charles, Campton Hills
Three Kane County communities are reminding residents to lock their vehicles, following a rash of burglaries.
Here are September news releases from Batavia, Geneva and St. Charles.
Batavia Video Shows Rash of Vehicle Thefts
On the morning of Sept. 17, 2018, the Batavia Police Department received several reports of burglaries to unlocked motor vehicle as well as the theft of two vehicles occurring in the overnight hours between Sept. 16 and Sept. 17, 2018.
These incidents were focused on the Tanglewood neighborhood located in the southwestern residential area of Batavia.
The Batavia Police Department has received approximately eight reports of burglary to motor vehicles, which included two stolen vehicles. All of the incidents appear to be related.
Video surveillance footage of one of the incidents was located and collected. Video clips and a still photograph of one of the suspects accompany this press release.
After reviewing the video, it appears there are at least four suspects traveling in a small sedan (unknown make / model). Two of the suspects, seen clearly in the video, appear to be young male black subjects.
The video also shows the suspects opening the garage doors of the residence, a common complaint by victims in these cases.
he video shows the garage doors opening and one of the suspects beginning to enter while in the background an additional three suspects are running up the driveway towards the garage. The suspects are then startled for unknown reasons and run down the driveway, entering a small sedan before driving away.
The Batavia Police Department strongly encourages all citizens to keep their vehicle, their homes doors and garage doors closed and locked at all times. In addition, please remove all valuables from your vehicle, including car and house keys. Please call 911 immediately to report any suspicious activity that you may see in your neighborhood.
Anyone having additional information regarding these incidents or if you are a victim and have not yet reported it, please contact the Batavia Police Department at 630-454-2500.
Any further press inquiries should be directed to Detective Michelle Langston, public information officer.
SOURCE: Batavia Police Department news release
Geneva Police Encourage Residents To Lock Cars To Help Deter Vehicle Burglaries
Geneva Police are reminding residents to lock their car doors after a number of surrounding Fox Valley communities have seen an increase in thefts and burglaries from vehicles in the past month.
In Geneva, police are urging residents to be mindful of suspicious activity and to immediately report those incidents to authorities after seeing an uptick in car burglaries citywide the past several weeks.
Offenders are primarily entering unlocked cars, taking valuables and even the vehicle itself if keys are left inside. Oftentimes, stolen cars are used to commit crimes in other towns.
A majority of these incidents are crimes of opportunity and are preventable with assistance from residents.
Besides locking their cars, residents can assist police by calling 911 immediately to report suspicious activity in their neighborhood. Information obtained from the call may be key to solving a crime in Geneva or another community.
To make property less of a target for criminals, people should lock their cars and remove valuables — computers, phones, electronics, purses, money, keys — from their vehicles each night. Residents also should check that their garage door is closed, windows are secured, and access doors to the garage and home are locked. If their garage doors are broken and won’t close or lock properly then they are urged to get someone like Tip Top Garage Doors Charlotte NC to come and install a more secure door.
Outdoor lighting may act as a deterrent in some cases since many car burglaries occur overnight.
The Geneva Police Department thanks residents for their cooperation in keeping Geneva a safe community.
SOURCE: Geneva Police Department, City of Geneva news release
St. Charles Police: Thwart Would-Be Burglars—Lock Your Car Doors
The St. Charles Police Department has received reports of several burglaries in the area from cars over the past few weeks.
The Police Department is reminding residents, when cars are parked outside to:
- Always lock car doors
- Hide valuables/purses
- Never leave house keys in the car
- Close all windows completely
Most thefts from vehicles involve items left in plain view. If you must keep your things in the car, be sure to stow them away so they are out of sight. As a precaution, remove any detachable stereos, GPS devices, garage door openers, etc., when you leave your vehicle.
“Car burglaries can be very quick. Thieves can be in and out of a car in under a minute,” said St. Charles Police Commander of Investigations Chuck Pierce. “Cars parked in driveways overnight and left unlocked provide opportunities for thieves who move quietly and do not want to draw attention to themselves. However, cars parked in large, open parking lots during the day, such as at shopping centers or large recreational events, that have valuables left out in the open can entice thieves to break car windows to steal the items.”
About the St. Charles Police Department
The St. Charles Police Department provides law enforcement, investigations, traffic and special events, social services, crime prevention, and community outreach services to the St. Charles, Illinois, community. More at www.stcharlesil.gov, and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Vimeo and LinkedIn.
SOURCE: St. Charles Police Department news release
ALERT — Automobile Burglaries in Campton Hills
Several surrounding towns have experienced burglaries to autos.
Campton Hills has had numerous reports, as well.
“There have been reports from investigators that a large ‘burglary crew’ from the Chicago area has made their way out this way,” village of Campton Hills officials said in the village’s Community Counts newsletter.
“Please take an extra second to make sure that you lock your vehicles and that you are not leaving valuables out in the open and visible to others that may be walking near your vehicle. ”
SOURCE: village of Campton Hills
