YORK COUNTY, Pa. — Dozens of unlocked vehicles were robbed early in the morning of May 16 in Newberry Township. According to police, stolen items included cash and valuables, as well as several firearms and entire cars.
The vehicles were all parked in a housing development, either on the street or in driveways, and were all unlocked.
Police said it’s not uncommon to see crimes of opportunity, especially when the weather gets warmer.
“They will go up and down a street and they just pull on doorknobs and if the door's open, they'll see what's inside,” said Newberry Twp. Lt. Braxton Ditty.
Thieves often search for cash, jewelry, credit cards, cell phones and other valuables.
“But when it becomes very dangerous is when there are firearms in the vehicles that aren't only a loss to the person who owned them, but they can become a serious public safety concern,” said Ditty.
Two firearms were taken from one unlocked car, while two other unlocked vehicles with the keys inside were driven away entirely. A garage was entered after someone used the remote opener in an unlocked car.
“Quite honestly it's a very brazen act for a criminal to enter someone's residence, likely when they're there if the vehicle's there,” Ditty said.
Local residents said the incident made them feel less safe in their neighborhoods.
“We live in a time now when people don't think about other people's belongings, care about their belongings. It just seems like a free-for-all, it's do what you want anymore,” said Denise Slick of Mount Wolf. “I was just telling someone it's like a giant Jerry Springer show.”
Police are searching for three suspects seen in surveillance video.
Residents are urged to remove valuables from their cars and lock them.