Vehicle burglaries, thefts on rise in Woodlands - Chron.com
The Montgomery County Sheriff's Office is reminding residents of The Woodlands to lock their cars and hide their valuables as burglaries of motor vehicles rise and auto theft trends continue. Incidents of burglary of a motor vehicle through June this year are up to 226, which is a 23 percent increase from the same time last year, according to The Woodlands Township data. She said that 64 percent of the vehicles that had items stolen were not locked. The Woodlands has also continued to see the effects of a trend throughout the county and the state of auto thefts, particularly targeting older model Ford F-250 trucks. Joe Sclider of the MCSO Auto Theft Task Force said thefts of the diesel trucks, particularly models made before 2003 - when more advanced keys started to become standard - have been an ongoing trend for the past two years. He described the trucks as versatile and sturdy, making them ideal to use for illegal activity, including transporting illegal substances and crashing into structures during a robbery. The thieves tend be part of professional rings who target areas such as The Woodlands Mall and shopping center parking lots, Sclider said. Source: www.chron.com
