Spree of vehicle break-ins rock campus
Amanda Smith | Staff Writer
Issue date: 9/30/09 Section: News
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Many of the vehicles were targeted for specific items of value and broken into in a similar manner.
"It appears that most vehicles were targeted for their GPS units that were displayed on dashboards. A majority of these vehicles were entered by means of the driver's side window being damaged," said Lt. James Watkins of UNCW Police.
UNCW Police are currently reviewing security camera footage from the areas of the break-ins for possible suspects. They are also working closely with the Wilmington Police and the Wrightsville Beach Police, as both departments have received similar reports of break-ins targeting cars for their GPS systems.
A campuswide e-mail was sent by UNCW Police following the break-ins instructing students to remove valuable items from cars or place them out of sight, to better prevent instances like this from happening in the future.
"Most property crimes are crimes of opportunity-meaning that thieves are looking for easy targets. Please remove items from the dash such as GPS units and satellite radio systems. Other items of value, such as iPods, laptop computers, purses, etc., should be carried into residential areas or secured in the trunk whenever possible," stated the campuswide e-mail.
UNCW Police are also advising students to keep serial numbers and product information for valuables. According to Detective Kotler, one of the investigators working on the break-in cases, this information allows police to return stolen items to the correct owner when crimes like these do occur.
Reporting suspicious activity is another way to help prevent future crimes like this from occurring. Campus police urge students and the surrounding community to report any unusual behavior witnessed.
UNCW Police Chief David Donaldson said that students live in this community and they know what is out of the ordinary. They can report any suspicious behavior through TEXT-A-TIP, calling the anonymous tip line, or by contacting the UNCW Police or 911 directly.
Detective Kotler also added that UNCW Police are continuing to follow leads, but no arrests have been made for any of the reported break-ins.
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moving companies Raleigh
posted 10/06/09 @ 10:45 AM EST
It's really kind of scary when you know that someone in the area is breaking into cars and stealing valuables. This just goes to show that we all have to be extra careful about what we leave visible in our cars. (Continued…)
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