Vehicle burglaries are on the rise in Dekalb County.
Sherrif Patrick Ray says the department believes it is one group of individuals responsible for the string of thefts. He said neighboring Wilson County has had the same issue, and has identified the same vehicle of who they believe is the perpetrator.
“We do have a picture of the individual, two individuals, and a picture of the vehicle that had gone to Walmart here in Smithville to try to use a credit card from one of their victims,” Ray said.
Ray said valuable items like phones and purses that people leave in the car without thinking about are being targeted, He said the burglaries are all being done very quickly.
“They’re going around shattering the side windows out, and of course just reaching in and getting the items and taking it with them,” Ray said. “You’re looking at seconds from the time that they get out of the vehicle, smash the window, grab whatever is in there and they take off.”
Ray said there are easy efforts people can make to prevent vehicle burglaries. He said the first step is simply making sure your vehicle is always locked when you are not in it.
“Then if you have any valuables in the vehicle such as a purse, or a briefcase, or a weapon or anything else, to secure that maybe in a trunk or somewhere where someone might just not walk by your vehicle and look through your window and see something like there.
Ray said people should be on the lookout for a grey SUV with no tags, as that the vehicle they believe the suspects are driving. He said anyone who might have information about the burglaries or who notices strange activity around parked vehicles should report it to the Dekalb County central dispatch line.
