Cash, loose change stolen during rash of Rock Hill car break-ins

Police are investigating more than a dozen vehicle break-ins reported Monday.

Officers responded to 13 calls Tuesday, some of which had multiple vehicles forcibly entered, according to Rock Hill police reports. Break-ins were reported on Barrow Street, High Street, Barrow Court, Graham Street, Brown Street, Belleview Road, Lucas Street, Candlewood Collins Lane, Sullivan Street, Sedgewood Drive, Tremont Avenue and Paxton Street.

Seven of the victims said windows on their vehicles had been broken, police said. The remaining victims either said their vehicles had been left unlocked, they weren’t sure if they had locked their vehicles or, in one case, the locking mechanism on the vehicle’s door was not functioning.

A majority of the victims reported loose change or money taken from their vehicles, police said. One woman left nearly $1,000 in rent money in her vehicle overnight, and another woman reported a bicycle and imitation jewelry stolen from her vehicle. Two victims reported nothing missing.

One homeowner said he saw a man breaking into his vehicles outside his home on Barrow Street about 4:45 a.m., the report states. He described the suspect as a white male, thin build and about 5-foot-6. He was wearing a black hooded sweatshirt and was riding a bicycle. The owner said he came outside after hearing one of the vehicle alarms go off, but the suspect fled after seeing him.

No arrests have been made. Investigators believe the break-ins are related.

“We are frustrated by all the car break-ins in Rock Hill,” Capt. Mark Bollinger said. “A lot of them can be avoided by people not leaving their personal belongings in their cars at night.”

Bollinger added that Rock Hill Police regularly conduct initiatives to make sure residents lock their cars and take belongings inside, and he said those efforts will likely ramp up as the holiday shopping season approaches.

This story was originally published September 29, 2015 at 6:27 PM with the headline "Cash, loose change stolen during rash of Rock Hill car break-ins."