Vehicle Burglaries Nearly Double In Some Western Suburbs In 2017

DUPAGE COUNTY, IL — Since summer, a rash of vehicle burglaries have hit Chicago's western suburbs, with incidents more than double that of last year in some towns. Patch spoke with police departments in Darien, Glen Ellyn, and Downers Grove to find out the staggering statistics and to see what resident can do to protect their belongings. Most of the are police reinforce what they've said since the uptick in car burglaries began: lock your vehicles.

In July, Wheaton Police reported 30 vehicle burglaries in one morning. Most of these crimes targeted cars that were unlocked, a trend that's been seen in neighboring cities and villages. Darien Police Operations Commander Gerry Piccoli told Patch in an email that that the "common denominator" he's seen as well is "unsecured vehicles." Downers Grove Police Sergeant David Bormann told Patch via email that the "vast majority" of burglaries in his village were done to vehicles that were left unlocked.

There's been some speculation that these vehicle burglaries are committed by teens who come into the suburbs from Chicago. Oak Park has recently seen an uptick in carjackings, most of which have been committed by teens.

Police data reflect the sharp increase in vehicle burglaries in 2017.

From May 1 through Nov. 15 in 2016 Glen Ellyn Police reported 36 motor vehicle burglaries. Data for that same timeframe in 2017 showed 62 burglaries, an increase of nearly 42%.

In just two days in November, there were six car burglaries in Downers Grove, most of which were committed near major highways. A total of 79 burglaries took place in Downers Grove between June 1, 2017 and Nov. 15, whereas 71 took place in 2016.

Darien Police reported a 17% increase in vehicle burglaries from June 1 through Nov. 15 in 2017 compared to 2016. Piccoli told Patch that Darien has been "hit all over town," adding that the "offenders are not just teens, but very often are...many of the leads we’ve followed often took us to Chicago."

Piccoli also gave some words of advice for residents to protect themselves from these vehicle burglaries: First, LOCK YOUR STUFF, Piccoli wrote in all caps.

• Double-check to make sure your car is locked, especially when using a key fob
• Don't leave keys or key fobs inside your car.
• Keep valuables out of sight or remove them from the vehicle.
• Be sure your garage door is closed. Piccoli added that "every night our officer find open garage doors."
• Install security cameras and register them with your local police department
• Install exterior lights and motion sensors

If you have any information on vehicle burglaries, or if you see any suspicious activity, contact your local police department immediately.

More on the recent spike in vehicle burglaries:

String of Burglaries Leads Glen Ellyn Police To Issue Warning

30 Vehicle Burglaries In One Morning: Wheaton Police

Vehicle Burglaries, Thefts Still Plaguing Glen Ellyn

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