Local apartment complex hit by rash of vehicle burglaries

Most of us are aware of the risk of vehicle burglaries, but we never think it will happen to us — until it does.

Ten people at the Sagebrook Apartments learned a painful lesson late Sunday night and early Monday morning. Someone broke into their vehicles and took valuable items.

One victim said he and his wife lost $2,000 in wedding gifts that they planned to place in storage Monday.

Another victim said the thieves were so smooth that they got into the vehicles without damaging them, possible because they used tools or entered through unlocked doors.

Many residents said they hadn’t heard about the break-ins until receiving an email from management alerting them.

Brianna Sharkey, who lives at the complex with her boyfriend, said his truck was burglarized there several months ago.

“A lot of valuable things got taken out,” she said. “We’ve been more careful since then. I thought we were living in a nice area and didn’t have to worry about this. During the holidays, you may want to hide gifts in your car. But now, it’s not an option any more.”

Police said the burglaries don’t indicate an overall increase but the holiday season is usually a popular time for thieves to look for easy opportunities.

“Lock your vehicle and remove your personal identification,” said Lt. Catherine Buckley. “If you must leave something behind, lock it in the trunk. Don’t leave anything in view, regardless of how insignificant you think it is.”