Thieves have smashed the windows of four vehicles parked at Vancouver and Camas day cares in the first two weeks of April.
Vancouver Police Department spokeswoman Kim Kapp said it is unknown if the break-ins are related, “but it does appear that way.”
“Thieves are casing day care lots, watching parents go in to drop their kids off and then smashing car windows or opening unlocked doors and stealing purses, computers, phones and other valuables that are left in the vehicle,” the police department said in a Facebook post.
On April 4, a thief broke the window of a vehicle at Knowledge Beginnings, 2907 S.E. 162nd Ave., and stole a purse. Then, the thief cashed three stolen checks in Hillsboro, Ore. The victim canceled her credit cards but did not have her bank flag her checks, Kapp said.
The remaining three smash-and-grabs happened four days later, on April 8.
A vehicle parked at Goddard School, 3111 S.E. 192nd Ave., had its window smashed. The thief once again took a purse. The owner of the purse has not yet been victimized by identity theft, Kapp said.
A bag holding credit cards, cash, keys and other belongings was stolen from a third vehicle when its window was smashed — this time at Tree Hill Learning Center, 3500 S.E. 196th Ave., in Camas. There has been no known identity theft in that case, Kapp said.
The fourth car was targeted at Learning Avenues Child Care, 3212 E. Evergreen Blvd., in Vancouver. No items were taken from that car.
Kapp said the main takeaway is that people should never leave valuables in their vehicles, even for a minute.
She said 47 percent of firearm thefts in the city this year have been the result of vehicle prowls.
