COLORADO SPRINGS — Investigators are tracking a series of car burglaries in northeast Colorado Springs. Investigators say at least a dozen cars were broken into overnight on three different streets in the Stetson Hills area. CSPD investigators say these are popular crimes that they want to know about.
Instone Circle. Ashley Drive. Ferrari Drive. These are three streets in northeast Colorado Springs with a similar problem, crooks are burglarizing their cars. Investigators say in many cases suspects are just looking for the vehicles left unlocked.
"We're also aware of people who load 3 or 4 people up into a vehicle and they go into that neighborhood and drop everybody off and they check all the doors they can," said Lt. James Sokolik of the Colorado Springs Police Department.
Police report at least a dozen vehicles were broken into overnight in the Stetson Hills area alone and one suspect got a garage door opener and got into someone's home.
Videos posted publicly in the last week from other areas of Colorado Springs on the "Neighbors" app tied to Ring surveillance systems show how the break-ins happen. People walk up to vehicles and lift handles until they easily gain entry because people are not locking their cars. We're many people say it's because they don't want their windows broken. Investigators want people to come forward with more videos like this and more information because they believe car break-ins are year round crimes that are often under-reported.
"Simply entering somebody's car to steal something is a felony level," said Lt. Sokolik. "They are all serious crimes. We're going to investigate them all."
Investigators tell me the biggest safety concern for both officers and residents when it comes to car burglaries is the fact so many gun owners leave their firearms in their cars. CSPD detectives say 80% of stolen guns recovered in recent crimes were stolen from vehicles.
So again, report car burglaries, keep an eye out for your neighbors and most importantly lock up.
