Local law enforcement ask for community's help to stop car thefts, break-ins

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Ohio (WKEF) -- Local law enforcement agencies are sounding the alarm on car theft and break-ins. Several local agencies are teaming up to combat this crime, but they are asking the community for your help.

We talked to one victim who says she always locks her car, but the one time she did not, criminals got away with some personal belongings. Now she is hoping to warn others before it’s too late.

"When we got home from dinner that night we just kind of went into the house and left it unlocked," Missy said.

Missy says was just visiting a friend’s house in Centerville when someone took credit cards and a cosmetic bag out of her car. She does not want to be identified for safety reasons, but she sent us these photos of what her car looked like afterward.

She says they could see what happened on surveillance video, not being released yet.

"You can see in the video cameras, they have two Teslas in their garage, you can see those break lights come one and off on and off like they were trying to steal their cars you see three guys stay in the garage, one guy came out, got into my Jeep," Missy said.

Centerville Police Officer John Davis says they are working with Springboro, Clearcreek Township Police Departments, and the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office in Washington Township as they see an uptick in crime in these areas.

"As they come up to a car if they see it unlocked, you’ll see them go through it if the garage door is open and the cars inside, they will go inside to look for that as well," Officer Davis said.

"Do you know anything about these suspects, it’s obviously being talked about on social media that it’s gang related, can you talk about that at all," Dayton 24/7 Now's Chelsea Sick asked.

This is an ongoing and active investigation, and we are not going to discuss uncharged suspects," Officer Davis said.

Officer Davis says surveillance video coming from doorbell cameras will help them investigate these crimes, but he says it should not be your first line of defense.

"These are preventable if we can just get people to lock their car doors and take their valuables with them, close your garage doors at night," Officer Davis said.

Missy now hopes telling her story, helps others in her community.

"If you’re just going inside for a couple minutes ,always shut your garage door we’re so cognisant of that right now," Missy said.

Officer Davis says he has not heard of any suspects actually going inside of people’s houses.

He says if you believe you are a victim you should call your local police department immediately, do not wait to report it. He says to do the same if you know anything about the suspects.