Rash of Thefts Have Police Asking 'Lock Your Doors'

A rash of reported thefts has the Madison Police Department asking residents to lock their cars and report any information they may have.

Police issued a message through Nixle on Tuesday, pointing to recent burglaries in the area of Loantaka Way when asking residents to also remove any valuables from parked vehicles.

Police received reports of nine thefts in three days, with seven of the incidents occurring on Friday, March 26.

Of those seven, four involved electronic devices stolen from unlocked cars.

"We're reminding residents to lock their cars and remove expensive items from them," Lt. Darren Dachisen said. "These items should not be left in cars. They are easy targets."

Dachisen also said that even if an item such as a navigation system isn't in plain site, a suction cup mark on the windshield can be a indication to a would-be thief that one is kept in the vehicle.

Dachisen said the detective bureau is investigating the thefts and there are no current leads on a suspect.

The nine reported thefts are as follows:

On Friday, March 26, a laptop was taken from Drew University's Brown Hall; a DVD player worth $200 was taken from Drew's Hall of Sciences; luggage was taken from an unlocked motor vehicle in the Cook Avenue parking lot; a $900 laptop was taken from a Kinney Street residence; and three unlocked vehicles were robbed in the Glenwild Parking lot at Drew, one of a $300 Garmin, one of an iPod, and one of a $400 radar detector.

On Saturday, March 27, a vehicle on Loantaka Way was robbed of a $150 navigation system. On Sunday, March 28 another vehicle on Loantaka Way was robbed of a navigation system, this one worth $160. In both of these cases, the cars were locked.

Police ask that if anyone has any information to call the department at 973-593-3000. They also ask, as always, to contact the department if residence see any suspicious activity.