LEE'S SUMMIT, Mo. — Police in Lee's Summit are investigating a string of recent car break-ins — the most recent happening early Thursday morning to five cars.
The Lee's Summit Police Department says most of the time vehicle break-ins are crimes of opportunity where thieves head to a packed parking lot and look for the easiest car to break into.
"Thieves know that they can find a large concentration of vehicles there," said Sgt. Chris Depue, with the Lee's Summit Police Department. "So think gymnasiums early in the morning that are open early, hospital parking lots, daycares."
Ashley Kinsey was one of the victims, but thieves weren't able to take anything.
"There was literally nothing stolen out of my car, so now I have a broken window for absolutely nothing," she said.
The other four didn't get away as lightly. Some had bags with cards, ID's and laptops.
Depue says it's likely thieves targeted those cars because they had bags out in the open. All the more frustrating for Kinsey.
"I don't leave anything valuable in my car," she said. "I was really thinking next time I go I'll put a sign, 'No valuables in here; if you break it you're wasting your time,'" Kinsey said.
It's a reminder why driver should hide valuables or take them inside.
"It becomes a crime of opportunity where the thief has to ask themselves, 'Is it worth it for me to make the noise and the disturbance of breaking the window to get the item that's inside?'" Depue said. "If there's no items inside, then there's no reason to break the window and hopefully they'll move on beyond your vehicle."
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