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Detectives urge vehicle owners to lock the doors!
Tuesday, October 18
Eagle Police, Kuna Police and Ada County Sheriff’s detectives are investigating more than four dozen vehicle burglaries reported in Septemberand the first week of October – nearly triple the number reported in previous months. Detectives are urging drivers to take the simple steps necessary to avoid being the next victim.
Between Sept. 1 and Oct. 9, deputies have received reports of 49 in Eagle, Kuna, Star and unincorporated Ada County:
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South Ada County (unincorporated)
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23
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North Ada County (unincorporated)
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11
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Eagle
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11
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Kuna
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3
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Star
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1
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Total
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49
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On Friday, detectives arrested Brandon Scott Harmon, 18, of Eagle, on a charge of burglary and possession of stolen property. Harmon was found driving a vehicle reported as stolen by one of Harmon’s relatives. In addition to the stolen vehicle he was driving, Harmon admitted to stealing property from multiple unlockedvehicles in and around the Brookwood subdivision in Eagle. Harmon took items like cell phones, stereo faceplates, chargers and sunglasses.
Like the burglaries Harmon admitted to last week, a majority (61%) of the burglaries reported in September and early October involved unlocked vehicles. These make very easy targets for would-be criminals. When there is forced entry into a vehicle – through a broken window or cut into a cloth convertible top – it is almost always because something valuable was sitting out in plain view inside.
“A thief walks down the street trying door handles. When one opens, it provides easy access to everything inside that car – purses, wallets, cash, credit cards, phones and iPods. If the door is locked, and there is nothing valuable in plain view, the thief almost always just keeps walking,” said Detective Marlon McCowan.
The message is that simple: Take valuables inside. Lock your doors.
Detectives are working to identify the person/people responsible for the 49 burglaries across Ada County last month. They are also working to find the owners of the stolen property found in Harmon’s possession.
People are encouraged to watch out for their neighbors. It isn’t usual for someone to walk down a dark street trying to open multiple parked vehicles. If you see something suspicious, call and report it!
Anyone with information about any of these burglaries or the unclaimed property is asked to call Ada County non-emergency dispatch at 377-6790.
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