Dartmouth police remind residents to lock their cars after series of break-ins

July 31, 2019 8:48 pm

The Dartmouth Police Department is seeking to identify this man who is suspected of breaking into multiple vehicles in the Cove Road area this month. (Photo courtesy Dartmouth Police Department)

DARTMOUTH, MA (WLNE) – The Dartmouth Police Department is reminding residents to lock their cars at night after a recent uptick in car break-ins in July.

Since July 9, there have been 18 reported car break-ins in Dartmouth, according to police.

Six of those break-ins were reported Tuesday night in the area of Sharp Street, Schooner Drive and Admiral Point Drive.

Each of the 18 break-ins were the result of people leaving their vehicles unlocked, police say.

“These are all crimes of opportunity where this thief or thieves are going through neighborhoods pulling on door handles to see what is left unlocked and rifling through peoples’ vehicles and belongings,” Police Chief Brian Levesque said. “We are asking residents to be vigilant about locking their doors at night and also reporting any suspicious activity they may see in their neighborhoods.”

Around 10 p.m. Tuesday night, police responded to a call from a resident reporting a suspicious person in the area of Sharp Street who was attempting to open the door of a vehicle.

Dartmouth officers were unable to locate any suspects.

Later Tuesday night and early Wednesday morning, police received multiple reports of car break-ins overnight.

Police say other break-ins throughout July occurred in the area of Commonwealth Avenue and the Bliss Corner neighborhood.

The locations of the 18 car break ins in Dartmouth since July 9. (Photo courtesy Dartmouth Police)

Items that were stolen in the break-ins include wallets, purses, pocketbooks, loose change and credit cards.

Police have a person of interest (see photo) they are trying to identify who is suspected of the Cove Road area car break ins.

If you can identify the person you are asked to call Dartmouth Police at 508-910-1735.

Police are also asking residents to be alert of suspicious activity in your neighborhood or if you believe you may be a victim of a break-in.

The Dartmouth Police Department provided the following tips to prevent your car from being broken into:

Close all windows and lock all doors.
Never leave valuables in your vehicle, and if you do, make sure they are out of sight.
Never leave credit cards/debit cards, cash or your wallet or purse inside of your vehicle overnight.
Park in well-lit areas or preferably inside a garage, if possible. Install lights with motion sensors near where you park your vehicle.
Get in the routine of double-checking that your vehicle is locked and secure each night around 9 p.m. This is known as the 9 p.m. Routine.
If your vehicle has been stolen or broken into, follow these steps:

Call 911 to report a vehicle theft or break-in. A copy of the police report and/or a case number will be needed to provide to your insurance company.
You may be asked to provide the license plate number, make, model and color of the car, the VIN number and any identifying characteristics.
Contact your insurance company to file a claim within 24 hours of when you discovered your vehicle was stolen or broken into.
If you find your vehicle before authorities, contact the police immediately and then your insurance company.