Spike in vehicle break-ins in Speedway leading up to race

SPEEDWAY, Ind. (WISH) — Speedway police report a number of vehicles have been broken into in business parking lots.

Many of those thefts happened over the weekend.

“Got to lock your car, you never know who’s out there,” Speedway visitor Nijeil Anthony said.

Anthony always follows the rules his dad taught him to avoid being a victim of crime.

Locking his car doors is just the beginning.

“Expensive stuff, anything that you’d leave laying around that you wouldn’t want taken put it away or carry it with you,” he said.

That’s one of the big pieces of advice Speedway police are telling the public after a spike in car break-ins this weekend.

The crime spike makes Anthony a little worried.

“I mean unfortunately sometimes bad stuff happens but take all the precautions you can just to avoid it,” he said.

Police are also asking for people to say something if they see something.

Specifically, two vehicles are thought to be connected to the break-ins, a gold Chevy suburban possibly a 2007 was seen with a black male driver and a gold Mercedes with tinted windows.

I asked Speedway resident Ian Carroll if these new crimes made him worried.

“Personally I am not I don’t really have a car that’s worth breaking in to,” he said.

All joking aside, he is well versed in the rules of protecting himself against theft.

“Just keep your doors locked, make sure anything valuable is hidden inside before you get out of the car,” he said.

He and Anthony agree, the area is a target this time of year with thousands of visitors.

But they hope if people take those precautions it will stop the break-ins.

If you have any information about the crimes you’re asked to contact Speedway police.