EAST GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WZZM) - Gary Graeff of East Grand Rapids thinks he knows why burglars broke into his 2004 Pontiac.
There was a gym bag and a cell phone box sitting inside, in plain view from the outside.
"You just don't think about leaving a gym bag in a car, that that's going to be a temptation or a trigger for somebody to break in," says Graeff.
Glass installer Kelley Scott of Auto Glass Specialists says his Grand Rapids division is replacing about 20 vehicle windows a week because of break-ins.
"Usually a side window, door window, side vent ," says Scott. "Anything with easy access to reach in, grab [valuables] and [go]."
Police call the vehicle larcenies "smash, grab and go" crimes. The burglars walk past parked cars, looking inside for valuables. When they see something, they break the window, grab the item and get away fast.
"They are just looking around for opportunity," says Lt. Ralph Mason of the Grand Rapids Police Department. "There are items in plain view like a laptop or purse. "
Lt. Mason says police are so concerned about the spike in vehicle larcenies at city parking areas, they have made the crimes a higher priority.
They've already made two arrests, but the crimes continue.
"There are more suspects out there doing this," says Lt. Mason.
Investigators say there are probably several individuals or groups committing the crimes.
Many happen late at night but also in the morning, between six and noon.
"Lot of times people think it's not going to happen to my car and, unfortunately, that's what happens," says Graeff.
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