Vehicle break-ins have neighborhood on edge

When Jennifer Wetz called me about a recent outbreak of car break-ins in her west Springfield neighborhood, I thought the situation might offer some lessons about crime prevention that could benefit other readers.

One of the first things that struck me about Wetz, a graduate student at Missouri State University, was her positive attitude. She was frustrated, sure, but motivated. Rather than pointing fingers, she wanted to know what she and her neighbors could do to prevent further crime and help catch the perpetrators.

"There is no neighborhood association here" and no neighborhood watch, said Wetz, who lives in one of eight duplexes in the 4100 block of West Burbank Street, just west of the Max and Una Lilley Park. "I don't know how much work it is to start one, but I'm checking."

I drove out that afternoon to meet Wetz and her neighbors on Burbank, where they filled me in on recent events.

Neighbor William Dixon was the first to notice the thefts as he prepared to leave for work early the morning of May 20. He found the doors of GMC Yukon open — which had been locked the night before, he said — and his stereo, speakers and amplifier missing, along with a jack and other tools.

"They even ripped the cup holder off to get the change," Dixon said.

Three other residents reported break-ins the same day, with license plates, vehicle registration, a radar detector and keyless entry remote among the items reported stolen. All but one of the victims said their vehicles had been locked.

The thief or thieves returned the next night and broke into Dixon's wife's car. They apparently tried to take her stereo but couldn't get it out because of the way it was screwed into the car's dash.

Dixon said he and some other neighbors slept in their cars the next night, but the thieves didn't return. They showed back up May 23, the day after my visit. On that third occasion, the screw in the dashboard didn't stop them from lifting Dixon's wife's stereo.

Dixon thinks the thieves used "slim jim" lock picks to open the doors, which were otherwise undamaged.

"At least they're not breaking windows," Wetz said. But she and others worry the thefts could get worse.

"It's been vehicles so far, but it's gonna turn into houses," said Dixon.

Residents can ill afford the loss of property or sleep, he said. "Everybody here works ... You can't just be paranoid and jump up every time you hear a sound outside."

Citywide problem

Property crimes like the vehicle break-ins on Burbank are a frequent problem in all areas of Springfield and one reason for the city's comparatively high crime rate.

Of the 14,691 property crimes tallied in the 2013 Uniform Crime Report, thefts from vehicles accounted for 2,636, almost one in five. The cost to victims was more than $1.3 million.

Police solve only a fraction of property crimes — about 20 percent were cleared, according to the 2013 report — and typically don't respond in person to reported car break-ins, taking information over the phone or at the front desk at headquarters or the South District station.

With such long odds for a resolution after a theft, prevention is important.

Officer David Snider, a crime prevention officer for the Springfield Police Department, said the first step is communication.

"Go door to door and meet your neighbors," Snider said, noting that a lack of relationships in a neighborhood often is the biggest stumbling block to crime prevention efforts. "When you learn who your neighbors are, you learn what to look for, you learn what is out of place ... you learn their habits."

Acting neighborly also sets a tone, he said, and lets residents know others are paying attention. "While you're walking in your neighborhood, make eye contact, wave to your neighbors. Let them know they are noticed."

Snider said individuals can attend the Neighborhood Watch training the department offers, but the more neighbors are involved, the better. Residents can find out more about the training and sign up online at www.springfieldmo.gov/ spd (click on "Neighborhood Watch" from the list on the left of the page) or by calling 417-874-2113.

As part of the training, residents will learn about the police department's policy for responding to various crimes, Snider said. "Then we talk about describing things that you see … people, vehicles, what makes it suspicious."

The training also covers principles of "crime prevention through environmental design," providing tips for landscaping and lighting that can make an area less attractive to thieves.

"I can't harp enough on the maintenance of the area," Snider said. "If there are weeds, tall grass, broken windows, broken fixtures, the perception that no one is watching is there ...

"If it looks like it's taken care of, the perception is that it's being watched and the bad guy is less likely to come in and try to commit a crime."

Video surveillance is another option, Snider said.

"Camera systems can be very helpful if they're properly placed," he said. "It's not going to prevent the crime, necessarily, but it's a big help when it comes to the investigation … That helps us quite a bit."

Lighting, security cameras can help

Improved lighting and the possible addition of cameras seem to be the most promising tips for the residents on Burbank — although not the fanciest neighborhood in Springfield, the area was well-maintained when I visited. Neighbors all were on a first-name basis with each other, with several stopping to chat while I talked with Wetz and Dixon.

Motion-activated lights are mounted near most doors and facing Burbank, but there is little light along a gravel drive north of the duplexes, where most residents park. Wetz and Dixon said they've talked to their landlords, who are looking into installing additional lights and surveillance cameras.

Wetz said she also had talked to management at the nearby Casey's convenience store, where employees' vehicles reportedly had been targeted. "The manager there is tentatively talking about some additional security."

The Springfield-Greene Park Board has installed surveillance cameras in some city parks. But Lilley Park, which is next to the Burbank duplexes, is not one of them. Parks spokeswoman Jenny Fillmer Edwards said cameras typically are mounted where there is a secure, climate-controlled structure to house the recording unit. Lilley Park lacks the needed infrastructure.

Edwards said vehicle break-ins are "the most common crime" at all of the park board's properties. She said park rangers plan to evaluate Lilley Park for the possible addition of signs warning park-goers not to leave valuables in their cars.

Wetz said she's made a point of talking to people she meets while running in Lilley Park, as well, "letting them know what's going on."

Still, frustration has grown with the repeated thefts.

When his wife's car was broken into a second time and police would not respond in person to take a report, Dixon went looking for a suspect himself. He spoke with staff at the Casey's and thought he'd identified a young man responsible for the thefts. He tracked the man down and forced him to wait until police came. When they did, Dixon said, he almost ended up in handcuffs "for attempted kidnapping."

"There's really nothing you can do. If I catch them outside and put my hands on 'em, I'll go to jail," he said. "I don't understand how this works ... I asked the cop what should I do and he didn't really have an answer for me."

Snider said residents' frustration is understandable. "But if we can take that frustration and turn it into a positive … I think it will be beneficial not to just to those people on Burbank, but in the area and citywide."

It's good advice. But I can't help wishing I had a more satisfying answer. Residents on Burbank deserve the peace of mind — and some sleep.

"I'm still up at night, looking around," Dixon told me when I talked to him Sunday. "Every little noise I hear, I'm out looking."