Residents,
I wanted to take a moment to alert you to the growing number of thefts from vehicle cases that have come across my desk in the past month.
It is important to understand that there are two types of thieves that commit these crimes.
The first type of thief is one that typically operates at night and in the darkness of residential neighborhoods, lurking from house to house and pulling on car door handles. These thieves move quickly, targeting easy grabs by opening unlocked car doors and stealing items in plain sight, as well as cash and change located in the vehicle. This is the most typical type of theft from vehicle case in our township. The good news is that these thieves can be defeated by simply locking your car doors (especially overnight).
The second type of thief is one who typically operates in daylight, and targets cars parked in public parks, gyms, churches, and daycares. This thief's modus operandi involves peering into vehicle windows and looking for items left out in the open, especially purses, wallets, and electronics. Unlike the first thief, these criminals are more brazen and will break car windows to retrieve their loot.
In the past month, we have had both types of thieves operating in Upper Macungie Township. While these cases remain under investigation, we believe it is vital to remind our residents of the value of locking their car doors and either hiding valuables in vehicles or better yet, removing all valuables from vehicles whenever possible. As always, we hope by alerting our residents to this type of activity, we can prevent these crimes from happening and limit the amount of victims in our township.
If you have questions about this message or wish to provide feedback, please do not hesitate to reach out to me. Thank you and be safe.
Lt. Peter V. Nickischer
Crime and Community Services Division Commander
