Even as Baltimore?s murder rate begins to drop, police say they’re tracking a troubling increase in thefts from automobiles across the city.
The hardest hit are areas of downtown, Canton, Fells Point and neighborhoods around Loyola College, said Baltimore police spokesman Sterling Clifford.
“They?re hitting the tourist destinations, the restaurants, the bars,” he said.
Thefts from automobiles have increased by almost 300 cases this year, from 1,262 last year to 1,542 this year.
Police attribute the rise to an increase in expensive electronic devices, such as iPods and global position systems, visible in cars.
“The easiest, fastest way to not be the victim of a car break-in is to put your electronics away,” Clifford said. “Put away your GPS, your cord and plug the lighter back in. These are basic steps to make your car less of a target.”
Baltimore?s Southeast District, home of Canton and Fells Point, has 376 reports of theft from automobiles this year, the most in the city.
The Central District, home of the Inner Harbor, has the second most thefts from vehicles, with 317 reports, according to Baltimore police Comstat data.
