Car break-ins not on the rise, police say

Despite an uptick in recent reports, Lieutenant Jay Williams of the Mountain Brook Police said the city’s car break-ins are no more frequent than usual.

From Nov. 1 to Jan. 22, Williams said there were 20 reported vehicle break-ins, many concentrated in the Crestline area. Most of the break-ins happened at night on residential streets, with burglars taking purses, phones and other valuables from vehicles.

During the same time period, Vestavia Hills experienced 22 car break-ins, Homewood experienced 36 and Hoover experienced 115, including one in which a resident exchanged fire with the burglars. Those suspects went on to steal a car from a resident of West Jackson Boulevard. Hoover and Vestavia police have also said their cities’ reported break-ins are not higher than normal, though Homewood is experiencing a surge.

While there has been speculation on the What’s Happening in Mountain Brook Facebook page that these break-ins are the work of a local gang called Goons Taking Over (GTO), Williams said the police have no evidence linking the group to any of the crimes.

Together with the Hoover police, Mountain Brook police arrested three suspects responsible for the armed carjacking on West Jackson. Vestavia Hills and Hoover have made additional arrests for other area break-ins.

To protect yourself from a theft, remember to lock your vehicle doors and remove or conceal any valuable items. Report suspicious activity by calling the Mountain Brook Police at 802-2414.