Westlake Police Remind Residents to Lock Their Cars Following Rash of Break-Ins

WESTLAKE, OH - Police are reminding citizens to lock their cars and to move all valuable into their home or office after parking, following a series of break-ins throughout the city.

In a message posted to the city's website, officers said, "We’ve had several incidents of auto thefts that were crimes of opportunity … the keys were left in the car. Always remove your keys and valuables from your vehicles and lock your vehicles. At home, be sure to lock all the garage doors and take the car keys inside. Some of these cars were stolen out of the owner's garage."

Most notably, one suspect is believed to have stolen a car and broken into 13 vehicles on Sept. 13. In addition to the thefts from cars, a 2013 QX60 Infiniti was stolen from the driveway of a Schubert Dr. resident. The keys had been left inside the car.

More recently, prowlers rifled through a number of cars on the night of Sept. 27. A $5 bill was taken from an unlocked car on Williams Dr. and two other cars were broken into, but nothing was stolen from them. On West Hedgewood Dr., three unlocked cars were gone through and $200 cash and a credit card was taken from one of them. On Radcliffe Dr., five unlocked cars at two homes were rummaged through but nothing was missing. One car was searched through on Salem Pkwy. but the owner has not reported anything missing.

A 2015 Mercedes Benz S550 was stolen from the driveway of a Stone Ct. home on Sept. 24. The resident left their keys in the vehicle. Also on Stone Ct., four other cars were rummaged through that same day. Two packs of cigarettes were taken from one, $20 cash, two debit cards, and a driver’s license were lifted from another, and two others were broken into. One of the debit cards was used at a fast food restaurant in Cleveland. In the same development, two cars were rummaged through at a home on Adelaide St; nothing was taken.

An unlocked 2014 GMC Arcadia had a $300 pair of sunglasses and $1.25 in change taken from it during the night of Sept. 17. It was parked at the owner’s Hedgewood Way Home.

Photo from Westlake Police