Thomasville and Thomas County law enforcement agencies are ringing the alarm and warning residents to keep their car doors locked and secure.
That’s because in the last few weeks, the area has experienced a dramatic increase in car burglaries.
The two agencies are working together and sharing information to find suspects in the crimes. Officers believe thieves are looking for vehicles they can break into without making noise or causing damage.
Major Eric Hampton with the Thomasville Police Department said to report any person that seems out of the usual.
“We recommend that they call the police department when they see suspicious activity or suspicious people, to include vehicles, and give us a good description of what they see,” he said. “A lot of times, when they see something or see someone, that is actually the suspect that they see.”
Steven Jones is a captain with the Thomas County Sheriff’s Office and said unlocked vehicles are the majority of cars being targeted.
“Lock your vehicle… And, don’t leave electronic items out in plain view or cash,” he said. “That’s advertisement right there for somebody walking by, because so many of these crimes are crimes of opportunity. They go around looking for unlocked cars and then go in those unlocked cars looking for the items that are left behind.”
The officers are asking residents to report any suspicious activity in residential neighborhoods, especially foot traffic late at night, and said that no tip is too small to call with.