THUNDER BAY — Thieves in Thunder Bay are increasingly shattering vehicle windows to bypass security systems connected to the doors.
Car-hopping, a practice in which burglars go from vehicle to vehicle in search of unlocked doors, is not a new phenomenon in the city.
However, Thunder Bay Police say that over the past two months they have noticed a spike in cases where criminals enter and exit a car through a broken window.
The observation is supported by the replacement window jobs that have been coming into local auto glass repair shops.
"Numbers-wise, there have been tons. It's definitely up from last year," said Susan Groom, the manager at Floyd's Glass. "It's been all kinds of vehicles. Trucks, cars, vans, SUVs,"
Customers are left frustrated by the inconvenience and the cost.
"I feel bad for these people," Groom told Tbnewswatch, noting that car-owners work hard to get their vehicles, and are protective of them.
Some clients are baffled by what thieves are looking for, she said, since the culprits may not even bother taking the parking metre change sitting in plain view in the console.
In most instances, thieves are breaking door windows, but Groom said her shop has also seen cases in which the rear window has been smashed, resulting in an even more costly repair.
At Speedy Auto Glass, a manager said that this spring "things were crazy" with the number of window repairs due to thefts and attempted thefts. "We had a whole whack of them," he said.
An Apple Auto Glass spokesperson confirmed they've seen a higher volume as well.
Thunder Bay Police spokesperson Constable Julie Tilbury said it's difficult to speculate on the reason for the increase in this type of crime, but there is likely a correlation to the prevalence of individuals in the community with addiction issues.
The scope of the vehicle break-in problem may even be broader than statistics might suggest, Tilbury said, as police are aware that when thieves get access to unlocked vehicles, the owners don't necessarily file reports.
"Our word of advice to citizens is to not leave anything of value in your vehicle. Usually, if there is nothing in plain sight, that will be a deterrent."
Many residents are installing security cameras to monitor activity in the driveway, and some have posted video on social media, showing individuals checking out or even breaking into a car.
Tilbury said there may be occasions when the video can assist the police in their investigation and their efforts to track down perpetrators.
