Cape police still analyzing spike in car thefts; carelessness may be a factor

Cape Girardeau police still are analyzing the reasons for the spike in motor-vehicle theft reports in 2015. The department had 102 vehicle-theft reports in 2015, the most in about 10 years.

There were 68 vehicle theft reports in 2014. The next-highest number of reports was 2012, with 76. The average number of vehicle theft reports since 2006 is about 54 per year.

A study conducted inside the department showed there were some recurring circumstances in these reports.

“They’re crimes of opportunity,” Glueck said. “So if you limit that opportunity, that crime doesn’t happen.”

Of those 102 incidents, 30 vehicles were taken by an acquaintance of the victim; 25 vehicles were stolen with no suspects; 18 were stolen with the keys left inside the vehicle; and 14 were repossessions or rentals.

“A lot of the towing companies are good about telling us,” Glueck said of repossessions.

Ten of the reports were proven to be unfounded. Glueck said these cases are often when people forget where their car is parked.

There were eight vehicles stolen from other jurisdictions but found in Cape Girardeau.

Four vehicles were stolen as a part of another crime, such as a burglary where the keys are stolen from inside the house, then the vehicle was taken.

Glueck gave some examples of theft reports he has responded to: a person who left the car running while heading inside a convenience store, only to find the car missing on the way out, and a woman who parked at the mall, forgetting where she parked and thinking her car was stolen were two examples.

Glueck could not say how many stolen car reports resulted in arrests.

The police department recommends locking vehicle doors, periodically checking license plates to ensure the plate has not been stolen, parking in well-lighted areas and not keeping important documents — such as the vehicle title — in the vehicle.

Glueck could not say what were the most common vehicles stolen or the areas of the city were vehicles are stolen most often.

The National Insurance Crime Bureau reports the top five most-stolen vehicles in the U.S. by make and model in 2014 were the Honda Accord, Honda

Civic, Ford pickup, Chevrolet pickup and Toyota Camry.

bkleine@semissourian.com

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