Police probe car break-ins
Published 9:11 pm Tuesday, February 18, 2014
Law enforcement in Suffolk and Isle of Wight County are investigating a number of car break-ins that took place over the weekend in North Suffolk and Carrollton.
In North Suffolk, cars on Pughsville Road, Gingko Court, Hawks Nest Lane, Deerfield Drive, Weatherby Way, Loblolly Court and Deanes Station Road were targeted. Some had been left unlocked, but the thieves smashed a window in at least one incident.
Stolen items included wallets and purses, money, jewelry, prescription medications, a remote-control car, a GPS unit and a credit card.
City spokeswoman Diana Klink said the Suffolk incidents are believed to be related to each other and remain under investigation. It is not known if they are also related to the incidents in Carrollton.
“Police stress the importance of citizens locking vehicles and removing valuables or securing them in the trunk,” Klink wrote in an email.
In Carrollton, the sheriff’s office dealt with a series of vehicle thefts on each of the last two weekends, Isle of Wight Sheriff’s Office spokeswoman Kristin Wilda said.
Between Feb. 16 and 17, five locked vehicles in Carrollton were forcibly entered by broken windows, and an additional unlocked vehicle was entered but not damaged. In one case, the vehicle — a 2013 Toyota FJ Cruiser — was taken from the Eagle Harbor apartment complex.
The remaining vehicles had items stolen from them, including a weapon, garage door openers, a bookbag with an iPad and a backpack with hunting equipment. They occurred on Overlook Terrace, James River Trail, Nelson Maine and Broadwater Arch, all off Route 17 in the Eagle Harbor and Carisbrooke areas.
On Feb. 7-8, several cars with unlocked doors in the same area were entered, and the thieves took professional photography equipment, a laptop, a cellphone and an MP3 player.
The Isle of Wight Sheriff’s Office also urges citizens to lock their homes and vehicles and keep valuables out of plain view. Report suspicious people and activities to law enforcement as soon as possible.
Anyone who has information is asked to call Crime Line at 1-888-LOCK-U-UP. Callers to Crime Line never have to give their names or appear in court, and may be eligible for a reward of up to $1,000.