A string of thefts hit the Seward community over the past three weeks, with the police department receiving 18 calls about thefts from vehicles.
Seward Police Chief Alan Baldwin said Aug. 20 that the cases are still under investigation and that no arrests have been made.
The Seward Police Department released a statement Aug. 14 on social media that it had received numerous reports of thefts from unlocked vehicles during the early morning hours of Aug. 14.
“Most of the reports are coming from the neighborhood north of Concordia’s campus,” the statement said.
On Aug. 20, Baldwin said so far, targeted vehicles have been in the northeastern part of Seward, including many along Sunrise Road.
“People are leaving their vehicles unlocked and making it a crime of opportunity,” he said. “There’s definitely more than one person involved.”
According to the police department call log, 18 calls have been received reporting thefts from vehicles or people trying to break in to vehicles since Aug. 2. The thefts occured on multiple dates.
Items that have been stolen include a rifle and shells, a wallet, sunglasses, safety glasses, a phone charger, a backpack, CDs, an FM booster, cash, a GPS unit and a Swiss army knife.
Baldwin said police have not identified a pattern as to what types of items the thieves are looking for, other than the “normal type of items” people tend to leave in their vehicles.
One caller reported a black SUV parked in front of two homes on his street that he believed may be related to the break-ins. Another caller said he installed an infrared camera, which showed footage of people rummaging through cars on his street.
The police department asks residents to check their vehicles, lock their doors and report any incidents of theft or rummaging to the police department at (402) 643-2579. Any information on who may be responsible for the thefts may also be given at that number.
Baldwin also asked residents to check footage of trail cameras or other surveillance equipment.
“We’re encouraging people if they have trail cameras, things like that, to let us know if they catch anything suspicious,” he said. “We’re hopeful to get this case solved as quickly as possible.”
