Rock Hill in ‘spree’ of vandalized cars. Here’s where and how to protect yourself
At least 18 vehicles in a Rock Hill neighborhood have had windows broken by vandals in the past week, police said.
The incidents happened near Cherry Park in a neighborhood close to the Winthrop Coliseum, adjacent to Eden Terrace, said Lt. Michael Chavis of the Rock Hill Police Department. A flurry of smashed windows were reported Dec. 2, then another group days later, Chavis said.
Vehicle owners reported thousands of dollars in damage to windshields, side windows and back glass in the crime spree, Chavis said.
“These all happened during the overnight hours when the vehicles were parked outside,” Chavis said.
Rock Hill patrol officers and detectives are now working on the cases, but are asking the public to be vigilant. Outside lights can be a deterrent, Chavis said. Any valuables left in a car can be a lure to a suspect bent on vandalism or theft, Chavis said.
A string of vandalism in the same area in September destroyed bathrooms and other items at Cherry Park, Hargett Park and the Rock Hill Tennis Center, Chavis said. Police have not made any arrests in those cases.
It is unclear if the vandalism to vehicles and public parks are connected but detectives are looking into the possibility that the same suspect, or suspects, has damaged property in the neighborhood for months.
“The locations are near each other and the damage has been extensive,” Chavis said.
It is unclear if the damage has a holiday connection, police said. Last year in Rock Hill, more than 30 vehicles in one neighborhood were hit on Christmas Eve.
In areas of York County outside the city, car break-ins continue to be a concern, sheriff’s office officials said. That concern is especially acute during the holiday shopping season officials said.
Residents are urged to never leave any valuables in a vehicle and to make sure their vehicles are locked, said Trent Faris, spokesman for the York County Sheriff’s Office. Faris even made a video about vehicle safety that he posted on the sheriff’s office Web site and Facebook social media.
In late September in Fort Mill, police arrested three people from Charlotte who were involved in more than 40 car break-ins and vandalism cases, Fort Mill Police Department Maj. Bryan Zachary said.
