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More car break-ins reported in Stringham Drive area

By Howard B. Owens

There were 10 more break-ins into unlocked cars in the Town of Batavia overnight.

Six occurred on Stringham Drive, two on Violet Lane and two on Terry Hills.

The usual items were taken, according to Deputy Chief Gordon Dibble, adding that the break-ins may be related to yesterday's thefts.

"For the most part, the thieves are limiting their efforts to unlocked cars with valuables in plain sight," he said. "Locking cars and removing valuable items (maybe locking them in the trunk) would seem to be prudent advice."

Doug Yeomans

Geesh..this has been going on for how long now? It seems like all summer long. Batavia residents may as well take everything out of their vehicle and leave the doors propped open.

Sep 24, 2009, 2:35pm Permalink
Kim Tiede

My relative was the ONE person that did have their car locked,, but geesh I agree with Doug,, how come they have not caught these theives? It is pretty easy,, go on Craigslist or Ebay and look for the items.. ask around.. I can't believe this has been going on since June and they have no clue!! Have the police run the blood from the one vehicle in the state computer??? Are we any closer???

Sep 24, 2009, 4:19pm Permalink
cj sruger

I was one of those that has live here My whole life and never locked my car, now I have no car stereo or Gps. as of Monday. Big gaping hole in my ripped up Dash. This makes my blood boil and I am glad i didnt catch them in the act because I would probably be in jail right now if i did.

Sep 24, 2009, 5:32pm Permalink
Dave Olsen

I have no sympathy for thieves. Also, I think it is a sad commentary on society that we have to remove valuables and lock our cars. I'll bet you are mad, I would be too, whoever is doing this is a dirtbag. But as Deputy Dibble said, it would be prudent advice to lock up.

Sep 24, 2009, 9:32pm Permalink
J Clark

The break-ins are directly related to the increase in drug activity in the community . Thieves are most likly to do the crash and grab technique from cars because of the small but valuable items inside vehicles that can be hocked for drugs . I think we need to put more pressure on suspected drug house's in the area . As policemen have to fowllow protical to make the arrest stick , there should be more done to detere the activity before it starts . Examples of these actions would include , poisitioning of police vehicles directly in front of suspected drug houses ( no reason they can't park the cruiser right outside the house), periodic foot patrol down sidewalks in drug active neighborhoods , holding vacant landlords responsible for blind renting ( not caring who they rent to as long as they money rolls in), and better identifiying of Apartments that are used by squaters ( residences that are being paid for by goverment agencies that are being used as to deal drugs out of ). It is very evident when a Cadallac Escalade rools up every weekend to an apartment for 10 min. drops off a couple of people (drug dealer's from the bigger cities )and then there is non stop traffic all weekend in and out of the apartment untill that Escalade comes back on Sunday to pick them back up. Bottom line is that we need to stop the drug dealer's from coming into the city and using it like a pharmacy , then a lot of our other problems will go away or be reduced ( Break-ins).

Sep 25, 2009, 10:39am Permalink
Doug Yeomans

Since when did drug activity ever slow down? There are busts all the time..big busts. Drugs will never slow down until you take their value away. You do that by legalizing them. Alcohol had the exact same crime problems during prohibition as drugs do now. Alcohol is a drug.

I can't say that the theft activity is or isn't directly related to any drug problem but I doubt it. I think this is just a small group being idiots making life miserable for other people.

When you chase drugs out of one area, they show up in another. I simply don't see drugs being any less available despite how many people are busted for using them or supplying them. Lots of people obviously want them and people are willing to supply them. Control the drugs and you control the problem.

Sep 25, 2009, 2:05pm Permalink

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