A dozen cars burglarized overnight in Sycamore, residents urged to lock vehicles overnight

SYCAMORE – Sycamore police say a dozen cars were burglarized in the early morning hours Wednesday, and are urging residents to keep their vehicles locked overnight and remove personal items from inside.

According to a Wednesday news release from the Sycamore Police Department, Sycamore police detectives are investigating break-ins to multiple cars which they say occurred sometime between 1 and 4 a.m. Wednesday. A total of 12 cars were targeted near multiple residences around the city, including on Amherst Drive, Ashwood Drive, Clayton Circle and Stonegate Drive.

Police say items taken from the car burglaries includes money, CDs, sunglasses, various electronic equipment, a firearm and other personal items.

The cars were in driveways or in front of residences, and almost all were reported as being unlocked, police said.

Vehicle burglaries and theft are on the rise in warmer months, as both Sycamore and DeKalb police have warned in recent weeks. On July 2, three vehicles were reported stolen from the showroom at the Brian Bemis car dealership in Sycamore.

Police are also reminding residents to take extra precaution to remove valuable items and lock their vehicles when leaving cars unattended, especially during nighttime hours. Approximately 90 to 95% of car burglaries occur involving vehicles that are unlocked.

“‘Lock it or lose it’ is a simple, but effective, strategy to reduce being victimized by criminals who look for easy targets,” said Sycamore Police Chief Jim Winters in a statement.

Detectives from the Sycamore Police Department are continuing the investigation and are seeking information about suspicious individuals or vehicles in the area during the time of the burglaries.

Anyone having information should contact the Sycamore Police Department at 815-895-3435.