Getting Answers: Officials warn residents of car break-ins spike in local areas

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WGGB/WSHM) - Western Mass News is digging deeper as car break-ins continue to impact local areas in western Massachusetts.

One Springfield man told Western Mass News he had a few things stolen from his car early this morning. Meantime the Springfield Police Department said this has become a common occurrence.

Matthew Caron woke up this morning to find this video on his home security system showed two people walked up his driveway.

“They were clearly holding stuff from the car I’d love to think I definitely love to think I locked my car but not entirely sure,” said Caron. “The window was down a little bit and it looked like the guy had been rummaging through the front window my front passenger seat was forward, so it looked like he was trying to get back and unlock the back which has still locked.”

He said the people took a wallet and a sentimental box from his car.

“I feel very safe in this neighborhood so it’s unfortunate that something like that would happen,” added Caron.

But he is not the only one impacted by this, local police departments took to Facebook, warning people to be alert after multiple reports of car break-ins in recent days.

We spoke with Ryan Walsh, the Public Information Officer for the Springfield Police Department. He told us car break-ins usually involve teenagers—or sometimes people facing drug addiction.

“The issue with juveniles in these crimes is they’re not going to jail so they’re getting sent home it their parents and a lot of times these parents are letting them out or don’t know where they are because these crimes are happening overnight,” explained Walsh. “But the same juveniles a group of juveniles or several groups of juveniles have been arrested or found responsible for dozens of car breaks across the city.”

He said these are crimes of opportunity that happen year-round with a gradual increase in the summer. Springfield Police saw a spike last August and a spike in December the year before.

Walsh recommended that car owners keep their doors locked, and not leave anything valuable inside. Something Caron said he’ll do from now on.

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