Police remind drivers to stay vigilant as Louisville neighborhoods hit by wave of car break-ins

St. Matthews Police said there have been 80 car break-ins reported to them in the first three months of the year alone.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) — Thieves are jumping from neighborhood to neighborhood across Louisville with the same goals — finding unlocked cars and valuable items.

Police say car break-ins are ramping up across the city. Subdivisions are typical targets, with thieves checking every car to see if its unlocked. It's a task police are trying to get in front of.

"We've seen a lot of break-ins, actually, through the entire Metro area for several months, said Eddie Jones, assistant chief of the St. Matthews Police Department. "The problem is there's so many groups that are involved in this that, within a matter of time, we're getting hit again by another group."

St. Matthews Police said there have been 80 car break-ins reported to them in the first three months of the year alone.

"Obviously, no one likes that. It's not a good thing to hear about happening, like, near you or not near you," Taylor Thomas, who lives in St. Matthews, said.

Jones said Louisville Metro Police are also seeing the same problem. In 2025, the department reported car thefts were down 18%, but theft from cars was up 11%.

"We're actually having meetings with Metro police department, trying to find suspects and some information, try to assist all of us in making some arrests in these break-ins," he said.

St. Matthews police are also increasing patrols in commonly-hit areas, such as neighborhoods and apartment complexes.

"Just to be seen out there, having a police car be seen so maybe we can avert them to somewhere else for the night," said Jones.

Jones said the suspects in these thefts are typically teenagers or young adults, usually looking for valuable items like guns or technology.

"I try to be decent if I can about not keeping anything that's super special or valuable to me in my car, but that's not always the case," said Thomas. "I'm a musician, I keep my guitar in my car."

Now, Thomas said she'll be more diligent.

"Keep your car locked, if you have a garage and you're lucky enough to park in it, know the people around you," she said.

It's all advice Jones agrees with.

"Do your best to try and not make yourself a victim of this," he said.

Jones said St. Matthews police will continue to patrol neighborhoods in the area. He reminds drivers not to leave garage door openers in their cars if they are parked outside and to make sure they're parking in well-lit areas.