Car Burglaries On The Rise In Frankfort

FRANKFORT, IL — Car burglaries and thefts are on the rise in Frankfort, prompting police to remind residents to remove the valuables, take keys out of the ignition and lock their cars behind them.

The number of burglaries rose nearly 43 percent to 50 last year, up from 35 in 2017, police data show. Car thefts have risen slightly, but the nature of those thefts changed significantly, said Police Chief John Burica. In years past, he explained, a car may have gone missing from a dealer's lot. Now, individuals are stealing cars from streets or driveways, such as one stolen from Kansas Street last week.

Residents can help police and help protect themselves by remembering to lock their cars and removing valuables from them. They can also notify police if they hear or see anything -- even if it seems as small as a dog barking when it doesn't usually bark.

"Police are on active patrol," Burica said. "If you see something, say something."

The hard part, he added, is when someone is caught with a car with its keys left in it. It's hard to prove the owner did not give the driver permission.

But, he said, "we want to catch them, and we're doing what we can."

They're close, too. His team has been able to get to the scene as suspects are fleeing -- because they saw the police. The goal, of course, is an arrest.

"We are investigating all of them [the incidents]," he said.

Many of the stolen vehicles have been recovered. They tend to be found on Chicago's South Side, Harvey and other south suburbs, and the cars appear to be used mainly to commit another crime. On occasion, he said, they are used to transport other people.

The uptick in crime -- burglaries and thefts -- are not Frankfort-specific, Burica added. The trend extends through a south-suburban corridor to neighboring towns and villages. Authorities across the region are working together to fight the crime and keep residents safe, he said.

"We wish we lived in a time and place where people know what is not theirs and wouldn’t take it. But that's not how everybody operates."

Non-emergency calls can be made to Frankfort police at 815-485-2500. For emergencies, call 911.

Photo via Shutterstock.