DECATUR, Ill. (WAND) - A string of car thefts in three hours early Tuesday in Decatur brought to light a problem that comes back each winter.
There were eight vehicles stolen in Decatur from about 4:09 a.m. Tuesday to 7:14 a.m., Sgt. Brandon Rolfs told WAND News. They happened in multiple areas in Decatur and most had one thing in common - the owner had left the car running unattended to warm up.
Rolfs sent a loud and clear message strongly encouraging people to not do this, as it makes things easier for criminals and could potentially endanger the public. He said suspects will sometimes use stolen cars to commit crimes, use them to get away from police and then potentially crash them, causing harm to others.
These crimes are preventable 99 percent of the time, he added, and are crimes of convenience.
The Tuesday thefts happened in the following locations, according to Rolfs:
- 2100 block of N. Dennis Ave.
- 21000 block of W. Waggoner St.
- 1000 block of W. Center St.
- 500 block of W. 19th St.
- 200 block of W. Division St.
- 1500 block of E. Division St.
- 900 block of N. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive
- 700 block of E. Orchard Drive
In one of the thefts, Rolfs said the car was found fast enough that the vehicle owner didn't file a complaint. The other seven owners did file reports.
In another of the eight thefts, the owner followed the stolen car and called police, who then arrested a suspect.
Rolfs said Decatur has had even more thefts in Decatur dating back in the last week, with three stolen Monday, two taken Sunday, one stolen Saturday and two stolen on Dec. 9. This means there have been a total of 16 in one week.
The public has a responsibility to public safety, Rolfs said, and should take necessary measures to protect their property, even if it means getting into a cold car.
