Vehicle thefts down 14 percent; Waco police say 430 occurred through July

WACO, Texas (KXXV) — “It’s very sad and you can’t live freely anymore. You have to watch your back, your kids’ backs, and anyone walking with you; you have to watch each other,” said Waco resident Melisa Lara.

While vehicle thefts may be down 14 percent in Waco from last year, with 430 break-ins reported through the end of July, that works out to just over two a day on average.

25 News’ Marc Monroy happened to meet a married couple who had just gone through that experience on Wednesday at Valley Mills HEB.

“It’s pretty much just that they see an opportunity in their hands and they’re going to take advantage of it to commit that crime,” said Cierra Shipley, public information officer for the Waco Police Department.

Marc Monroy met Melisa Lara at the same HEB where the vehicle theft occurred.

She has a newborn daughter and is concerned about this type of crime in her area.

“Especially for a single mother who just looks away and doesn’t know what could happen, she could have something that she wants,” Lara said.

She is also concerned about her daughter’s future safety, saying “all of our children are in danger.”

That robbery happened in broad daylight and Shipley says 25 News These types of crimes happen everywhere.

“There’s not necessarily one area that’s heavily affected by these phenomena – they happen in neighborhoods, in parking lots and in garages. They happen everywhere and anywhere,” Shipley said.

If a theft occurs, the first thing you should do is call 9-1-1 and avoid touching your car at all costs, as this will make it harder for detectives to track down the suspect, according to Shipley.

Here are some tips for leaving your car.

• Take all your belongings
• Don’t try to hide anything
• Close, lock the door and check again.