By Pat Culverhouse
A series of thefts from several vehicles in Sibley neighborhoods overnight has Sibley police and Webster Parish Sheriff’s detectives working jointly in the hunt for suspects, Sheriff Jason Parker said today.
“We have some pretty good leads that Sibley officers and our detectives are pursuing, and we believe there could be other information available from other sources like home security videos,” Parker said. “We’re following up on every possibility.”
Parker said the incidents follow an all-too common pattern where individuals make it easy for thieves to strike.
“None of the thefts were from forced entry. All the vehicles involved reportedly were unlocked,” Parker said. “That makes it too easy for a thief to make entry and be gone, usually in less than a minute.”
Parker said leaving vehicles unlocked overnight, even if they’re in a driveway, is an invitation to thieves who are looking for targets of opportunity. And, he added, it’s not always local individuals who are committing this type of theft.
“We’re aware of many cases where a group of out-of-town persons will come to small town neighborhoods and drop off a couple of individuals who will walk the streets checking vehicles,” the Sheriff said. “If the vehicle is locked, they will simply move on. If it’s unlocked, they’ll grab what’s handy, be gone in a matter of seconds and be picked up by their accomplices.”
Parker said thieves usually check seats, floorboards, consoles and glove compartments for items that can be quickly be removed.
“We’re often surprised at what people will leave inside their vehicles,” Parker said. “People have reported losing cell phones, cash, wallets, firearms…things you wouldn’t usually think of leaving in your vehicle.”
Unfortunately, Parker said, it’s that time of the year when this type of theft could become more common.
“It’s the holiday season and for some reason, this is the time when thefts increase,” the Sheriff said. “Some may think juveniles commit most of these crimes, but that’s not always the case. Many well-organized groups of adults are involved.”
Parker said individuals could take other precautions including home security cameras and well-lighted driveways. Even with those added measures, the Sheriff said the best deterrent is still to simply remember to lock the vehicle.
“It’s an easy thing to remove any valuables and lock your doors,” he said. “We encourage all our people to remember that anyone can be the victim of this type of theft. All it takes is a moment of carelessness to give a criminal the advantage.”