June 14, 2023
By: Dwayne Page
Don’t become a victim of a vehicle break-in!
That’s the warning by the Smithville Police and DeKalb County Sheriff’s Departments as both agencies have had recent reports of those type crimes in which victim’s car windows have been shattered and personal belongings stolen.
In a joint statement, Sheriff Patrick Ray and Police Chief Mark Collins are warning you to never leave your car with valuables in plain sight, even if car doors are locked.
“We believe these thieves are targeting vehicles with valuables in plain sight no matter if the automobile is locked or not. The thief walks by the vehicle, sees a pocketbook, wallet, or other valuable items in plain sight, pops (shatters) the window, grabs the valuables, and then is gone in a matter of seconds. We want to encourage everyone to lock valuables in your trunk and keep them out of sight,” said Chief Collins.
Sheriff Ray said some of thefts locally have been at areas around the lake as well as in Smithville.
“There have been some car break-ins on Cove Hollow Circle near the Dam and Edgar Evins State Park. The City of Smithville has also had some,” said Sheriff Ray.
Similar crimes have been reported recently in other counties including Wilson where authorities have posted on social media a photo of a suspicious vehicle. Sheriff Ray said the vehicle in that photo could be the same one seen in the area where the DeKalb County burglaries occurred.
Meanwhile, suspects using a stolen a credit card from a local victim were photographed at Walmart here.
If you can identify the suspects or have information that could help solve the crimes, contact the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Department, Smithville Police Department, or central dispatch at 615-215-3000.