Johnson County police are encouraging vigilance from the community after a countywide uptick in car burglaries was recently reported.
On Oct. 24, the North Liberty Police Department made a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, that there has been an increase in reports of smash-and-grab car burglaries over the last two weeks.
Police say the crimes are opportunistic with criminals usually conducting surveillance on vehicles before breaking into them, allowing them to flee the scene within seconds. The criminals are usually looking for ID’s and credit cards that they can use once in another jurisdiction.
Police believe the burglaries are related to groups that travel across the country committing car burglaries.
North Liberty Police Investigator Jordan Gallagher said the increase in burglaries happens in spurts around every three to four months. Gallagher said police are looking at 14 or 15 car burglaries within the county over the past two weeks.
Gallagher said the burglaries have not just been taking place in Johnson County, but Linn County, Dubuque County, and Muscatine County have also been experiencing an increase in the number of car burglary reports as the robbing groups move across the state.
Gallagher said police are seeing that these groups do not care if the car is locked, they are still breaking into cars. To keep items safe, police are encouraging the public to keep valuables out of sight or in the trunk, as well as keeping cars in well-lit areas.
Gallagher said there is not a set timeframe for when the robberies happen and usually go throughout the whole day. It is hard to predict when the groups will leave for different areas, however, police hope the cold weather will encourage groups to move.
According to data from Iowa City Police Department’s annual report, 280 cars were burglarized in 2022, and 145 cars were burglarized in 2021. This is the highest number of cars burglarized in the last five years with 2018 having the second-highest record of 268 cars robbed.
ICPD’s Public Information Officer Lee Hermiston wrote in an email to The Daily Iowan that thefts from vehicles are a constant concern. Members of the community are encouraged to be vigilant about securing valuables year-round.
Some safety tips for keeping valuables safe include parking in well-lit areas, closing and locking all doors and windows, hiding valuables, and not leaving a vehicle running.
Public Information Officer Hayley Bruce wrote in an email to the DI that the University of Iowa Public Safety Department has not identified an uptick in vehicle burglaries on campus.
Along with parking in well-lit areas and keeping the car locked, Bruce wrote that having an audible car alarm system and a steering wheel lock can help protect people from potential car burglaries.
