Photo Courtesy: Springfield Police Department

Car Break-Ins and Thefts Up, Says Springfield PD

Following a public education initiative earlier this year that saw car thefts fall, officers are reporting an uptick in the crime in recent months.

Springfield Police Chief Paul Williams said Thursday the department saw a 30% decrease in thefts during the first quarter of 2022, after SPD began educating drivers to not leave their keys inside their vehicles. Williams said they also warned drivers not to leave cars running.

Recently, however, he says those numbers have begun to creep back up.

Officers reported that nearly half of the vehicle thefts in Springfield recently have been due to residents leaving their keys inside the car.

Chief Williams says they will remain vigilant in educating drivers on how to prevent car thefts. He also stated the department is putting an increased focus on burglaries and robberies in the latter part of this year.