ELIZABETHTOWN, Ky. (WDRB) -- The Elizabethtown Police Department is investigating a spike of car break-ins and car thefts.
Many police departments report a trend of more car break-ins in the summer. However, Elizabethtown Officer John Thomas said the statistics show a bigger increase than usual this summer. Since June 1, 21 cars were reported stolen, and 26 more cares were broken into.
“We’ve seen an absolute explosion in this type of crime in the last two months here in Elizabethtown," said Thomas, the public affairs officer for the department. "And we believe it is probably not isolated to this area."
Most of the cases happened between midnight and 6 a.m. Thomas said the suspect or group suspects typically target one neighborhood or apartment complex before moving on to the next one.
“That’s the frustrating part about this ... it’s almost entirely a crime of opportunity,” he said.
Thomas said the suspects will check one car door after the other. If it’s unlocked, then it is likely the suspects will rummage through the contents of the car. Car owners have reported valuables, including firearms, taken from their vehicles. And in some cases, when the car was stolen, Thomas said it was because the key was left inside the unlocked vehicle.
Elizabethtown officers have recovered three stolen vehicles so far in Louisville.
“In fact, one of the stolen vehicles was used in an attempted murder case in Louisville," Thomas said. "We’re still investigating if there’s an organized crime element in these thefts.”
Thomas said nearby police departments are working together to share information on similar cases.
WDRB News reached out to several police departments in Kentucky and Indiana regarding the increase in car break-ins and stolen cars. Many responded saying there are more of those crimes right now, but department leaders could not say it is more than in the past or attribute the trend to anything specific.
The St. Matthews Police Department recently identified three suspects involved in some car break-in cases. Two of those suspects, who are juveniles, have been arrested. The Oldham County Police Department also made arrests connected to recent car break-ins and car thefts. There have been at least 18 vehicles reported stolen to Oldham County Police this year.
The best way to avoid becoming a victim is to make sure a vehicle is locked and that the keys and any valuables are not inside. If you notice anything suspicious, reach out to your local police department.
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