Lock Up! Oakland County Communities Report String Of Thefts From Cars

NORTHVILLE (WWJ) - Police in several Oakland County communities are reminding residents to lock their car doors after a string of thefts from vehicles.

Northville Captain Dustin Krueger said two men entered and stole items from vehicles parked on the 8 Mile Road corridor between Novi and Taft roads, early Thursday morning.

"All four vehicles were unlocked," Krueger told WWJ's Laura Bonnell. "Three were parked in driveways and one was in the street."

He said it's a crime of opportunity. Don't make it easy.

"Criminals usually target the vehicles that are unlocked. Generally, breaking into a vehicle — whether it's prying the door or breaking the window — causes quite a bit of noise," Krueger said. "And in our quiet subdivisions it draws a lot of attention to them, so they look for vehicles that are unlocked."

An eyewitness saw the thieves, describing them only as two males. A stolen duffel bag was recovered and will be processed for evidence.

This warning by Northville police comes just a day after the Franklin - Bingham Farms Police Department reported a series of thefts along the same lines.

Police said personal items — including eyeglasses, CDs and small amounts of loose cash — were taken from unlocked parked vehicles in a neighborhood near the area of Telegraph Road and 14 Mile on the Franklin side, between 11 a.m. and 5 a.m. Wednesday. No suspects or witnesses have been identified.

To minimize your chances of becoming a victim of vehicle break-ins, police suggest the following precautions:

- Park in well-lit areas. If possible, leave garage light on.
- Park in your garage and close and lock the garage door.
- Don't become complacent - be aware of your surroundings.
- Don't leave valuables unattended in your vehicle. If this cannot be avoided, at least secure
them where they are not in plain view, such as your trunk or glove box.
- Lock your vehicle and bring your keys with you.
- When going to work out, carry only the items needed (license, membership card, car keys, etc.). Do not carry valuables.

For Northville residents: If you discover your vehicle was entered during over night, even if nothing was taken, do not touch anything in the car and call for a patrol officer to investigate at 248-349-1234.

To report suspicious activity in Franklin or Bingham Farms, or to share information that could help detectives solve this case, residents are urged to call police at  248-626-5444.