Car break-ins on the rise in Hamilton

If you live in a neighbourhood in Hamilton, you may have noticed that car break-ins are on the rise, especially in the downtown core, and in particular the Strathcona neighbourhood.

Over the past two months over 150 car break-ins have been reported to Hamilton police.

According to police, the hardest hit areas are Kirkindale, Durand, Central with Strathcona seeing the biggest increase. Police say “about 75 per cent of these are happening overnight in individuals’ driveways or on the streets directly in front of the houses.”

While many car windows are being smashed, residents say oftentimes belongings inside the car are not taken, but just left with a damaged car.

Due to the dramatic increase in vandalism, Hamilton police are investigating, “we are directing our attention and our patrol officers are patrolling those areas and showing more of a police presence.”

Police say it’s a catch-22, car break-ins won’t happen when police are present. So residents say they have to watch out for each other.

Police say if your car is vandalized or broken into make a report. The only way they can track break-ins is if people report them to the police.