From the Rockville City Police:
A series of car break-ins have occurred over the last few weeks at several locations in the West End. The following is a snapshot of the events that have been identified by our Crime Analyst so far:
Vehicle Break-ins:
* Wall Street - 2 vehicles entered
* Williams Street - 1 vehicle entered
* Evans Street - 1 vehicle entered (the only vehicle that appears to have been secured and had a window smashed)
* West Argyle street - 1 Vehicle entered
* 100 Block of North Street - 2 vehicles entered, victim states doors were locked. GPS stolen. Only one vehicle was ransacked. Responding Officer was able to obtain latent prints.
* 100 Block of Monument Street - a GPS was taken from an unlocked vehicle.
* Stevens Court - A tag stolen from a car.
Although anything in your car may be valuable, GPS units remain a "Hot" item for thieves. Remember to completely remove any indication of a GPS unit from your car. Remove the mount and any related wiring and ensure they are hidden from view. As an extra precaution, clean off the suction cup "ring" that remains on the windshield when you remove such a GPS mount. Keep you cars interior free from clutter and store briefcases or bags in the trunk.
Our patrol shifts have been made aware of the problems and were directed to increase their levels of patrol in the area. This "Increase Patrol" request will last for several weeks and any results are returned to Captain Rappoport for tracking purposes.
Crime prevention is a collaborative effort between the community and the police department. It is extremely important for anyone who observes or hears anything unusual to promptly report the suspicious activity to the police at 240-314-8900. Criminals committing car break-ins can take as little as one minute to enter your car and remove property.
