Johnson County Sheriff’s Office investigating multiple reports of car break-ins and thefts
JOHNSON COUNTY (WISH) — Police are reminding people to lock their car doors after multiple reports of car break-ins and thefts in Johnson County.
It happened in the subdivisions of Wakefield and Woodland Streams. The thief got away with a lot of valuable stuff, including three guns.
“It’s actually scary because the next thing you know they could be coming up the houses and looking for open doors,” said victim Carol Phipps.
Investigators believe the cases may be connected. The Johnson County Sheriff’s Office received at least eight reports since last weekend.
Police said someone was seen on camera walking through the Woodland Streams subdivision in the middle of the night. The video shows the individual turning the corner then walking up to a white truck.
In the video you can also see the individual shining a flashlight and checking to see to if there’s anything valuable inside.
Police said nothing was taken in the attempted theft. Other neighbors did not get so lucky.
“My husband went out to his vehicle, it’s parked in the driveway and found there were papers from the glove compartments spread on the floor and the compartment between the seats,” said Phipps.
Phipps lives in the subdivision. She said the thief got away with $40 worth of change.
“The only thing he had of any value at all was just a bag of coins that he kept for car washes and that was gone,” she said.
Police also received similar incidents in the Wakefield subdivision. In a majority of these cases, police said people are leaving their doors unlocked.
“Well, my first question to him was the doors locked and they weren’t. He said he always locks them but he did not so that was a lesson,” she said. “But it’s kind of creepy, the fact that someone would be in your vehicle looking around and looking for things.”
Police are reminding people to keep nothing valuable inside your cars and keep your doors locked. Phipps said her husband has already learned his lesson.
“He was sure to lock the car the next night I can tell you that,” she said. “Consistently we’ll continue to not have anything of value out in a car because that can be asking for trouble.”
If you think you recognize the person seen in the video you’re asked to call the Johnson County Sheriff’s Office at 317-346-4654.