On April 14th at around 11:20 a.m., police were dispatched to a residence in the 2100 block of Oak Avenue. Police made contact with the reporting party who had stated they had left their pickup parked (unlocked) on the street. Sometime between that morning and the evening prior, an unknown suspect had entered their vehicle and stolen a handgun from the vehicle’s center console. Two magazines were also taken.
This is the fifth firearm taken from an unlocked vehicle in the span of just over two weeks. The other reported incidents are:
4/7/20 1200 N. Lacrosse Street Loaded handgun taken from the glovebox of an unlocked sedan.
4/4/20 1702 E. Highway 44 Handgun taken from a pickup. No signs of forced entry to the vehicle.
4/3/20 100 block of Nevada Drive Revolver taken from an unlocked pickup.
3/30/20 400 block of Liberty Street Handgun taken from an unlocked pickup.
Responsible gun ownership start with being accountable for a firearm at all times. Vehicles make terrible gun safes. Never leave a firearm in an unlocked vehicle. If you must store a firearm in a vehicle, ensure the vehicle and firearm are properly secured. Always lock your vehicle before leaving it unattended. Take valuable items inside, or conceal them if you must leave them in your vehicle.
