Return of Students Results in Rise in Thefts from Vehicles

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

August 27, 2015

For more information, please contact:

Joe Qualters, Captain, Bloomington Police Department, 812.349.3317, qualterj@bloomington.in.gov

Return of Students Results in Rise in Thefts from Vehicles

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - Since the official return of IU students to Bloomington last week, the Bloomington Police Department has taken a higher number of case reports related to theft from vehicles.

During the week of August 12th-19th, BPD took reports on 19 thefts from vehicle. Since the return of students, the week of August 19th-26th shows an increase of 57% with 30 reports for the same type of incident.

Most of the thefts have occurred in neighborhoods just south of campus between S. Washington Street and S. Ballantine Road. The majority of victims had car windows smashed with wallets, purses and backpacks the items targeted because they had been left in the vehicle. One victim reported the loss of over $150.00 in cash.

Police are providing extra patrols in the area affected by the thefts.

Over the course of the last year, BPD received nearly 600 reports of thefts from vehicles which is nearly one-third (1/3) of all theft-related incidents reported to the Department. Of those, approximately forty-five percent (45%) of the thefts were due to vehicles being left unlocked.

The Bloomington Police Department encourages everyone to practice crime prevention.

To minimize being a victim of a theft from vehicle:

-DO NOT leave anything of value visible (including small amounts of change) and

REMOVE valuables from the interior or place them in the trunk, if necessary

-Remember to LOCK your vehicle at all times

-When possible, park your vehicle in a garage, in the driveway closer to your home, or

where adequate lighting exists if you must park it on the street

-Report suspicious people or activity to police immediately

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