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String of vehicle break-ins investigated in Plainfield Twp.

Posted at 4:57 PM, Jul 26, 2018
and last updated 2018-07-26 16:58:06-04

PLAINFIELD TOWNSHIP, Mich. -- Authorities in Kent County are continuing to investigate a string of car break-ins that happened over the last few days.

More than a dozen people in Plainfield Township woke up to find their car doors open and items missing.

Both the Kent County Sheriff's Office and Grand Rapids Police say there's often a jump in the number of vehicle break-ins in the summer, but Kent County says this burst of incidents is concerning.

Emily Maglothin walked outside at about 5 a.m. Thursday to find her truck torn apart, and say she was shocked it had been broken into.

"Our neighborhood is typically really quiet and doesn't have much happening like that," she said.

The sheriff's office says nearly a dozen other break-ins have been reported in just three blocks near Division Avenue and 6 Mile Road in Comstock Park.

"We're looking at Monday and Tuesday nights as the two nights of interest and we're seeing a lot of vehicles left unlocked," said Kent County Sheriff's Department Sgt. Joel Roon.

The common thread in these break-ins are the items that were stolen were all things that were left out on the seat and visible.  The sheriff's department says putting these items away and locking your car is a quick way to deter thieves.

"It takes a pretty bold thief to take, actually break a window or to break into a vehicle," Roon said. "So that's less common than just the unlocked vehicle being entered. Now this is the simplest deterrent is just to lock your vehicle."

Anyone with information on these break-ins is asked to call the sheriff's office at 616-632-6100 or Silent Observer at 616-774-2345.