- February 28, 2025
BY EMILY BLACKWOOD | STAFF WRITER
A recent spike in car break-ins has Ormond Beach police urging residents to lock their cars and not leave valuables inside.
Keith Feder, public information officer, said that during the last quarter of the year (October to December), there is usually an increase in pilfering in unlocked cars. In December of 2012 there were 21 reported cases. This year there were 50.
"Apparently they are getting a little more aggressive in doing it, because they're smashing windows," Feder said. "We had 316 in the last quarter (2012). This year, we had 295. So actually, the total numbers decreased by 12%. But we got hit real hard in December."
Feder said there have been reports of one neighborhood, Oak Forest, getting hit 12 times in one night.
"We've got someone who is coming in and hitting us up in one night," Feder said. "This is not just somebody pilfering."
Some effected streets include McIntosh Road and Northbrook Lane.
Police reports show a variety of items were stolen from cars, including a $900 ring, a hunting rifle and homemade soap. Though not all reported cases involved smashed windows, the ones that did had pry marks from what appeared to be a screwdriver on doors.
A few of the police reports said drivers left their cars unlocked.
"The Ormond Beach Police Department urges you, your family and guests to always remove valuables from vehicles and be sure to close the windows and lock the doors," read an Ormond Beach Police Department press release. "At the very least, secure items in the trunk before arriving at your destination."
Though the police department has a lot of open cases, they are working with other agencies to collect information, and they say they currently have some leads. Some reports say that neighbors saw people walking around after a party.
Call 676-3526.
