DEARBORN — Larcenies from cars have increased 10 percent every year since 2012, according to Police Chief Ron Haddad.

At a press conference on Wednesday, May 27, Dearborn Police announced the “Lock It or Lose It” campaign, which aims to decrease thefts from vehicles. 

“We’ve had a uptick in car larcenies,” Haddad said. “They’re up to about 700 a year; there’s 200 more cars that are either ripped off or damaged in some form or fashion.”  

He added that the common dominator in these larcenies is that people simply leave their cars unlocked and in doing so, they become easy victims.  

And what criminals who commit these larcenies have in common is that they victimize every community in metro Detroit, Haddad said.

According to a Dearborn Police statement, the department plans to reduce these crimes by engaging in a massive public service campaign with the help of the media.

Jackie Lovejoy, president of the Dearborn Area Chamber of Commerce, said on top of its 100,000 residents, Dearborn brings in about 140,000 employees a day and the Henry Ford Museum brings in about 8 million visitors each year.

Brian Whiston, the superintendent of Dearborn Public Schools, said the school district is working with police to encourage students to be a part of the campaign by urging their parents to lock their cars. 

Mary Petlichkoff, president of the Dearborn Federation of Neighborhood Associations, and a school board trustee, said she has had opportunities to speak with many community members who say the presence of Dearborn police makes them feel comfortable leaving their cars unlocked. The reality, Petlichkoff added, is that there is always potential for larcenies. 

“Crime is a business of opportunity,” said Mayor Jack O’Reilly.

He explained that larceny is the easiest of all crimes and not the result of break-ins, but being able to get in and out of an unlocked vehicle. 

According to O’Reilly, the Dearborn Police Department receives about 25 calls every morning from a single neighborhood, as criminals target many cars at once.

According to Haddad, slightly fewer larcenies occur in Dearborn than in neighboring cities. 

He said it is labor intensive to find people breaking into cars, but detectives use fingerprints, video footage, eye witnesses and certain patterns to identify criminals. He praised citizens for being vigilant and active in reporting crimes.

Haddad added that in a yet-to-be-released report, both the Department of Justice and the University of Maryland identify Dearborn as one of the best cities in the nation when it comes to community engagement.

Most larcenies occur between 2 and 4 a.m., according to Cpl. Jason Skoczylas. He said criminals will choose the least lit street to pull on car handles; when they find an open car, they steal valuables in it within five seconds. 

According to Skoczylas, larcenies in Dearborn have increased dramatically due to a population increase and more young adults owning cars. 

“When we get the word out, our community, the Arab community answers up big time,” Haddad told The Arab American News. “And that’s why we want the word out.” 

Police encourage Dearborn residents to lock their cars and keep valuables out of unattended vehicles.

You can notify police of any suspicious activity by calling the police non-emergency tip line at 313.943.3030.