Photo by Dan Whisenhunt

Several Decatur Heights residents recently discovered their vehicles had been opened and rummaged through.

According to Lt. Jennifer Ross, on Aug. 13 at 8:17 a.m., police responded to a report of entering auto in the 100 block of Ridgeland Avenue. The owner told police that her vehicle was unsecured in her driveway on Aug. 12 at 9 p.m. She said that at 8 a.m. the next day she found the vehicle’s driver side door ajar. The contents of the glove compartment were on the passenger seat.

“A pair of Ray Ban sunglasses was missing from the vehicle,” Ross said. “The officer canvassed the area and located a roadside kit that had also been taken from the vehicle as well as a small air compressor (unknown owner) laying on the roadside.”

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She said that at 11 a.m. on Aug. 13, an officer responded to a second entering auto report in the 400 block of Sycamore Drive. The owner told the officer her vehicle was unsecured on Springdale Street at Sycamore. She found the driver’s door ajar and the contents of the glove compartment on the passenger seat. She reported “a few CD’s” had been stolen from the vehicle. The crime occurred between Aug. 12 at 9 p.m. and Aug. 13 at 8:30 a.m.

“No other reports have been filed but the officer spoke to several neighbors who stated maybe four to six unsecured vehicles were actually entered in the area during the overnight hours between Aug. 12 and Aug. 13,” Ross said. “Unsecured vehicles are often targeted even when there does not seem to be items of much value inside. We recommend always securing your vehicles and keeping even the smallest of valuables out of sight to discourage would-be thieves that are out looking for opportunities. Also, please report all incidents of your vehicle being entered so that we have accurate information when we are evaluating patterns, mapping crimes and directing targeted patrols.”