DAYTON — The plague of car thefts is a crime that hits every area of your life, and it can take away your job and your mobility. The thefts continue to explode across the Miami Valley.
News Center 7′s Mike Campbell has covered the surge in car theft since the middle of 2022. He looks at where the numbers stand now, what they mean, and what you can do to protect yourself from becoming a victim.
We all park our vehicles, whether it’s in a parking lot, our driveways or against the curb, and we expect them to be there when we go back or go outside.
But, that’s not such a sure thing anymore, car thefts exploded because of a social media challenge in the middle of last year, and things haven’t slowed down despite new police programs.
>> RELATED: ‘It’s out of control;’ Uprise in car theft causes frustration among Montgomery County residents
The thefts happen in Kettering, Dayton, and other areas around the Miami Valley, and the thieves are not shy about it.
One car that was stolen backed into a Kettering police cruiser to get away took a wild off-road ride and didn’t give up until the driver was cornered by officers and a K-9.
Montgomery County Sheriff Rob Streck said, “The public is fed up with this.”
Streck gets an earful on a constant basis about car thefts. They exploded in the middle of 2002 because of a social media challenge to steal Kia’s and Hyundais. His department, along with many others in Montgomery County formed an auto theft suppression task force.
The task force produced immediate results leading to several arrests and stolen vehicles recovered, but there are still problems.
“In reality, if your car is stolen, the chances of you getting it back in the condition it was stolen is slim,” Streck said.
>> RELATED: Nearly 40 cars stolen from Dayton in one week; Almost half Kias and Hyundais
Another problem, even with publicity, and a task force in place, the car theft numbers are not getting lower. The sheriff said his department’s reported car thefts went up 59% from 2021 to 2022. And his calls for service related to GTA problems have gone up 144%.
“They’re being recruited, there’s a lot of gang members doing this, it is organized,” Streck said.
According to Streck, stolen cars are often used in other crimes. So, you have the victim who loses are vehicle, the possibility of a person or store robbed by people using that vehicle, and often, people victimized by car thieves who drive poorly.
Jared McPherson woke up a few days ago to roaring engines and squealing tires before a collision. He walked out to see someone driving a stolen car, being chased by police, and crushed two trees into his home.
“Someone saw a spotter car, so seemed like a group of individuals involved,” McPherson said.
>> RELATED: ‘It’s a nightmare;’ Area Kia owner has car stolen for second time amid ongoing social media trend
He now must replace his fence, take down two trees and replace siding, and live a little less securely,
“You hear about cars being stolen all over the place, but yeah, as a homeowner, it is frustrating,” McPherson said.
Streck said there are two levels of solutions – Car thieves must be punished appropriately by the criminal justice system, and community members must take protective steps.
You can lock the car, every time, park in well-lit areas, put a tracker on the vehicle, and maybe even immobilize the vehicle.
“We like people to get theft deterrents and wheel locks,” Streck said.
He told News Center 7 that the surge in car thieves is now being fueled not just by Kia’s and Hyundais but also moving to some higher-dollar vehicles, lots of Dodge Chargers, Challengers and Durangos.
© 2023 Cox Media Group
