Madison police look for help in rising instances of car break-ins

Madalyn O'Neill by Madalyn O'Neill

Madison police are seeing an increase in the number of car break-ins on the west side and say it’s a problem they can’t tackle alone.

“I always have that concern, but I try not to be an easy target,” said longtime Madison District 9 Alder Paul Skidmore. “It’s gotten really bad this last year.”

Skidmore said he’s been getting dozens of emails a day from residents about car break-ins.

‘It’s outrageous, because it continues to get worse, and this is a problem we could solve,” he said.

“They’re getting more bold,” said Madison police Lt. Michael Hanson from the West District, adding that suspects have been bold enough to break into people’s garages, steal their garage door openers and sometimes their cars, too.

“Our fear is now, not only the property thefts and cars being stolen, but now someone getting injured in the form of kids that don’t have drivers’ licenses driving the car very, very fast, or a homeowner taking the law into their own hands,” Hanson said. “So it needs to stop.”

What are you doing about it?: This week, I have received over half a dozen emails and phone calls from citi https://t.co/wdbv9DC13T — Madison Police (@madisonpolice) October 11, 2018

Police have been handing out vehicle report cards letting drivers know if their cars are easy targets and arresting suspects. Hanson said police have identified a group of about 30 children and teens who have been responsible for many of the recent break-ins.

“We arrest, we arrest, we arrest, and the kids are back out on the street,” he said.

“It is infuriating,” Skidmore said. “I just talked to a gentleman today who said that the person who stole his car was caught. He had an ankle bracelet on. He had been caught six previous times, this was his seventh, and he laughed and said, ‘I’ll be out of here in an hour.'”

Hanson said for the rate of thefts to go down, something has to change.

“Police are only one cog in this wheel. We have the rest of the criminal justice system, from prosecution to courts, that also need to play a part in this,” he said. “We’re very frustrated over it. We want it to get better. We don’t want so many victims. So it is something bigger with the entire criminal justice system and the public working together, and hopefully in the months and years to come, it does get a little better.”

Police are also asking the public to do their part in preventing break-ins.

“Awareness. We need people on board, connected with their neighbors,” Hanson said.

“Don’t’ be an easy target,” Skidmore said. “Keep your doors locked.”

Police are urging drivers to keep their car and garage doors locked, not leave their cars running unattended and to let neighbors know if their doors are unlocked.

Skidmore said a community meeting about the issue is in the works for early November.

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