DAVIE, Fla. – Police are urging public safety after video surveillance was released Tuesday of a thief stealing a gun from an unlocked car door in the town of Davie.
This has been a common occurrence in South Florida and officials say that unlocked doors have led to an increase in gun theft, which has caused more violence.
Authorities say burglars are often being seen working in teams and targeting cars of people that forget to lock up.
Davie police Sgt. Kelvin Urbaez told Local 10 News that it’s been an “ongoing trend.”
Urbanez said these crooks are not just after loose change any more.
“We’ve had 10 firearms stolen from inside vehicles where vehicles were left unlocked and guns were stolen from inside,” said Urbanez. “They were easily accessible to get.”
Officers said that 10 guns were reported stolen in three weeks.
Police are now alerting residents after the weapons weren’t even secured.
“Unlocked glove box, the middle compartment, in plain sight on a seat--that’s something we cannot have,” said Urbanez. “We don’t want to make it easier for criminals to commit crimes.”
The town of Davie isn’t alone.
Several departments across the country have reported an increase in stolen guns that are ultimately used in violent crimes.
Everytown for Gun Safety, a non-profit organization, broke down the crime statistics to Local 10 News and said the sharpest increase in gun thefts from unlocked cars was seen at the start of the pandemic when gun “sales” noticeably spiked.
The report finds that on average, at least one gun is stolen from a car every 15 minutes.
Other crimes are committed with that firearm and the criminals get the criminals to commit crimes.
Davie police are also reminding gun owners to make sure they know their gun serial numbers in case their firearm is stolen.