In the final six weeks of 2017, the village of Bethalto experienced a rash of vehicle burglaries and stolen vehicles.
Bethalto Police Chief Gregory Smock updated trustees about the situation at Monday’s monthly meeting of the Bethalto Village Board.
From Nov. 2 to Jan. 2, there were 23 burglaries from vehicles and three vehicle thefts.
“I think we have people coming in from out of town to commit the burglaries,” Smock told the trustees.
“No vehicle was broken into. They were all unlocked, and no vehicle was stolen without the keys left in them. So we’re kind of creating our own problem.”
Smock has been urging residents to lock their vehicles.
A news release on the department’s Facebook page listed several streets that have been targeted: Patton Drive, Albers Lane, Westmoreland Drive, West Corbin Street, Silver Street, Patriot’s Drive, Mill Street, Longfellow Street, East Central Street, Oak Crest Drive, Strohbeck Lane and Hawthorne Court.
Each of the stolen vehicles was taken shortly after Christmas Day. On Dec. 26, a brown Chevy Silverado was taken from Oak Crest Drive; four days later, a black and tan Ford Explorer was stolen in the 900 block of Albers Lane; and on Jan. 2, a black Toyota 4 Runner was taken from Hawthorne Court.
“In no way are we blaming the victims, and everyone has a right to be secure in their property,” the news release states. “Hopefully 2018 will be more successful. It only takes a moment to remove your valuables and lock the vehicle. It also only takes a moment for a thief to remove your valuables or steal your vehicle when it is unlocked.”
Overall, Bethalto police investigated 29 vehicle burglaries in 2017. Of the eight vehicles stolen in the village in 2017, four have been recovered, Smock said Monday. None of the three taken over the Christmas holiday has been recovered.
“I’m thinking that these guys might be from Missouri,” Smock said. “The last burglaries we caught were in a ring, and they were all out of town – in the southern Illinois area. We caught them just a few weeks ago doing some burglaries. I think it stems from the heroin problem. They’re coming to these rural areas, like us, where people feel more confident that they’re safe. (They’re) leaving their vehicles unlocked or leaving their keys in the car, and they’re getting taken.”
Trustees also received an update from James Schulte, with the Bethalto Fire Department. The department received 94 calls in December, Schulte said. In 2017, the fire department received 1,126 calls, 53 of which “were unanswered, with no response.”
The fire department responded to 1,073 incidents in 2017, three more than the previous year.
The fire department is continuing to seek volunteers. Anyone interested in applying can stop by Village Hall or email Fire Chief Alex Campbell at acampbell@bethalto.com.
Volunteer firefighters are not required to live in the village of Bethalto.