EXCELSIOR SPRINGS, Mo. — Some people who call Excelsior Springs home are angry after seeing thieves make off with their cars.
Police there are investigating a sudden rash of thefts, some of which occurred in their owners’ driveways.
John Rickart has lived here for just over a year, in a neighborhood where he felt safe enough to leave his car doors unlocked. On January 12th, that changed, when his wife discovered his Chevy truck missing from their driveway.
“She woke up to take the dogs to the groomer, and she said, ‘hey, your truck’s not here. Does one of your friends have it?’ Rickart said.
Rickart says the 2006 Silverado was a new purchase, and he hadn’t even made the first payment on it. Thieves found his wallet inside the cab, and used his debit card to ring up $390 worth of purchases.
“It was a horrible feeling having something that big taken from you,” Rickart said. “It was frustrating.”
And Rickart isn’t alone. Police in Excelsior Springs are investigating five car thefts since mid-January, which is a lot for that city
.
“Some of them may be related,” Lt. Clint Reno with Excelsior Springs Police said. “Some of them may not. We’re still early on in the investigations trying to figure out.”
Excelsior Springs Police tell me they haven’t arrested anyone yet in these thefts, including the one involving Rickart’s truck. However, they are noticing common elements in these crimes, including keys being left inside cars, the doors being unlocked, and in some cases the engines are left running by their owners.
“Don’t leave valuables in the car,” Reno advised. “Certainly not along with the keys. Bad things add up when that happens — either vehicle being stolen or items being stolen from the car.”
“It is what it is, but it’s a very frustrating situation,” Rickart added.
And doors will be locked, as residents move on with their lives.
If you have information involving these thefts, please contact the Excelsior Springs Police Department.