String of car burglaries leave Lindale residents on alert

LINDALE, Texas ( KETK ) – Shoppers and employees are staying on guard after a string of car burglaries at a shopping center in Lindale.

“We’ve had a lot of break-ins in Lindale and Tyler” said April O’Byrne, a Pizza Hut employee in Lindale. “We just want everyone to know to be safe, watch your surroundings, if you see anything suspicious please contact the Lindale Police Department.”

Last Friday, Haley Hale had her car broken into at a shopping center complex off South Main Street. Taken that night from three different vehicles were valuables such as a purse, jewelry and important documents.

“Glass all scattered around and I looked around and that’s the only thing I noticed gone was the purse,” Hale said. “I’ve never had this happen before, and especially in Lindale things like that don’t happen, so it’s really weird”

Weeks earlier in the same area, Lindsy Hawkins, a physical therapist, said she thinks someone rummaged through her car while she was at work.

“Everything was just scattered everywhere on top of the dash I had things laying in my seat in the floorboard,” Hawkins said.

Vehicle burglaries can happen any time of the year, but are most common during summer months.

The Smith County Sheriff’s Office tells us that this is a crime that happens often. However, there are ways to think ahead. The primary way to deter vehicle burglary is by locking your doors.

“Auto burglaries are a very real problem for any law enforcement agency,” said Sgt. Larry Christian with the Smith County Sheriff’s Office. “Park your vehicle in a lighted area.”

He says the biggest key is to stay aware to help make yourself less vulnerable to burglaries.

The Texas Department of Motor Vehicles offered these tips to keep your vehicle protected:

• Always lock your vehicle and take your keys.
• Never leave your car running and unattended.
• Park in a well-lit area.
• Take valuables with you when you are not in your vehicle.
• Keep valuables out of sight.

DMV data shows that nearly 200,000 vehicles in Texas are burglarized each year.

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