Recent car burglaries have Bellevue neighborhoods searching for answers

Car break-ins have been increasingly reported in local Bellevue social media groups.  Many residents are looking for answers on how to curb the unsettling trend.  No matter the issue, safety should always be the number one concern for anyone that sees a crime in action, or if they even believe they see a potential issue.  Always contact the police and avoid confrontation if at all possible.

The West Precinct’s message remains clear – report all burglaries as soon as possible.  If you have home surveillance cameras, save the footage and report all attempted break-ins, even if nothing was taken from your property.  Filing a police report is a key component in getting more patrol units in our neighborhoods.

To file a police report, call the non-emergency line at (615) 862-8600. You can report criminal activity online, but the online service is NOT monitored 24/7.

Around 2:30 am, Monday, January 28^th, several Bellevue neighborhoods were hit.  Below are a couple of videos that caught the action in progress.  If you recognize the vehicle or anyone in the videos, please contact the police immediately.

What to do:

• Keep doors locked.  As seen in the videos above, locked doors are a deterrent.
• File a police report as soon as possible, even if nothing was taken.
•  Contact police if you receive a notification from your home surveillance equipment of people checking cars.
• If something doesn’t look right, contact the authorities.  Unfortunately, criminals may pose a door to door solicitors (should have a solicitation permit in most cases), or workers doing work in the neighborhood.  Always look for a marked company vehicle or suspicious behavior.

What NOT to do:

• Do not keep valuables in your car, or at least not in plain sight. (Keep your car clean and free of clutter to show no valuables are in the vehicle).
• Do not keep your doors unlocked as an attempt to prevent a broken window. Unlocked cars create repeated crimes.
• Do not follow suspicious vehicles or confront criminals. One Metro Officer working a recent car break-in on Monday stated that “all residents need to assume that the folks checking cars are carrying a deadly weapon”.

If you have any information pertaining to recent car burglaries in the community, contact authorities at (615)862-8600. If you have additional video footage or photos that you would like to submit, or have a story you would like to report, contact us at info@allthingsbellevue.com