Leechburg residents told to lock vehicles after spate of theft reports

Police are reminding Leechburg residents to lock their cars after more than 20 unlocked vehicles in the borough were entered early Monday, borough police Chief Jason Schaffer said.

The incidents occurred between midnight and 4 a.m., Officer Mark Pollick said.

Thefts varied between vehicles, he said.

“Some cash was taken, but mostly, they’re going in the car, flipping through it and are out of it within two minutes,” Pollick said. “They’re looking for specific items, but I’m not sure what those items are.”

There wasn’t a particular pattern to the thefts, Pollick said. Suspects took change from some cars and left it in others. Cash and wallets were reported stolen. When some wallets were recovered, cash and credit cards were missing, Pollick said. Some residents reported their insurance cards had been stolen.

Early in the investigation, Pollick said, video footage received from a resident revealed four “possibly male” perpetrators dressed in all black. An age group of the intruders has not yet been identified.

Residents can prevent incidents by locking their cars and removing valuables such as wallets and loose money from their vehicles, Pollick said.

If people drive a car using a key fob, they should ensure the fob is out of range of their vehicle.

“Some people leave their key fobs by their front door, and it’s still within range of the car,” Pollick said. “All someone has to do is hit an unlock button on the car’s handle and it’ll unlock. You have to find the range and make sure (the fob) is no longer in sync with your car.”

Schaffer emphasized the importance of reporting thefts and other incidents directly to the police.

“Reporting it on (social media) is not the same as reporting it to police,” he said.

Residents are encouraged to email any footage from Ring doorbells or other security cameras that might have captured any of the incidents to leechboro@windstream.net.