Staff writer
Officials are investigating a rash of more than 30 car burglaries in Hillsboro last week.
Approximately $89 in loose change, $175 in bills, and a diamond ring valued at $200 were reported stolen from 16 of 33 ransacked vehicles residents left unlocked in driveways and on streets near their homes between Thursday and Saturday, Hillsboro police chief Dan Kinning said.
“It happened all over town; it wasn’t isolated to one area,” Kinning said. “Mainly, cash was taken. They pulled money out of wallets but left the wallets and credit cards.”
He said the perpetrators were “smart enough not to take identifiable things,” noting that a laptop taken from one victim’s vehicle was found in a nearby dumpster.
“Cash and change is hard to trace,” he said.
Vehicles on Washington, Grand, Birch, Cedar, A, Wilson, and Jefferson streets had been rummaged through, he said; however, many incidents were not initially reported because nothing had been taken.
“We had to go door-to-door to find some victims,” Kinning said. “We canvassed almost the entire town.”
Police have video that shows three men entering a vehicle and committing a crime, Kinning said.
“We believe these individuals are from outside the community, and we are working with other agencies in an attempt to identify the suspects,” he said. “We also believe we may have DNA evidence from at least one of these people.”
Hillsboro police have requested other agencies with similar incidents to contact their department. He also requested that anyone with information regarding these incidents to contact Hillsboro police at (620) 947-3440.
“We encourage everyone to remove all valuables and lock their vehicles when not in use,” Kinning said.