30 Christmas car break-ins reported in Rock Hill. Most had one thing in common
At least 30 vehicles were broken into Christmas night and Wednesday morning in several Rock Hill neighborhoods, police said.
In almost every reported break-in, the cars were left unlocked, according to police.
“Most of these incidents never would have happened if the cars were locked and valuables were not left in plain sight,” said Capt. Mark Bollinger of the Rock Hill Police Department.
Items stolen included laptop computers, tablets, purses, boots and shoes, according to reports by Rock Hill patrol officers.
“Most of the vehicles were rummaged through and in some of the cases items were taken from the vehicles,” Bollinger said.
Many of the thefts were reported near Ebenezer Road and Constitution Avenue. About half of the break-ins were on Fawnborough Court. Garden Way and Cherry Laurel Lane also had multiple break-ins, police said.
Other break-ins were reported on Kensington Square, Beckham Lane, Alyce Lane and Walkers Mill Circle, Bollinger said.
There were so many cars targeted that patrol officers on Wednesday left business cards with police contact information on vehicles near the reported break-ins. Some cars at homes where the residents were not home or could not be found had doors ajar, appeared to have been rifled through, or may have been targeted, the reports show.
Police agencies in Rock Hill, York County and throughout South Carolina have repeatedly reminded the public to lock vehicles and to remove valuables to deter thieves.
The York County Sheriff’s Office instituted a “9 P.M. Routine” this year through Facebook and Twitter social media as reminders to urge the public to lock vehicles and remove goods.
Rock Hill police have received videos from homeowners’ security systems showing thieves testing home and car doors for locks, Bollinger said.
“We don’t want anyone to be a victim,” Bollinger said. “A thief who finds a locked door will more often than not move on.”
