KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCTV) – Some residents who live near the Plaza and Westport are fed up with the amount of car break-ins and stolen cars.
Chuck Romero lives near the Plaza and said his car is parked in a garage and still has been broken into twice.
“They just come around and smash out windows and take what they can,” Romero said. “There’s cameras. It doesn’t matter, they do what they want.”
Romero said he takes all the precautions and still worries it’ll happen.
“I leave my car with the console wide open and glove compartment open because that’s all you can do,” Romero said.
Sydney Swyers also lives in the Plaza area and said it’s unfortunate how bad things have gotten.
“It’s probably been 10 times where I come in the morning where everything in my glove box, consoles, everything is just trashed,” Swyers said. “I would say if you want to live down here, you have to clear out your car and make sure you don’t leave anything valuable at night.”
It’s why Ken Williams, who lives just up the street in the Westport area, has dedicated his time to helping people find their stolen cars.
“I’ve noticed these thieves show up in a short-term rental next to me late at night, and the cars are parked in off-street parking there,” Williams said.
Williams said he knows they were stolen because of obvious signs.
“I can see a busted-out window, no license plate on it, and when they walk away from the car, you don’t see the lights flash indicating that they locked the car,” Williams said.
He then checks if there are any reports on the car. Williams said through local Facebook groups, people will often post in the area asking for help if their car gets stolen.
“At least one stolen car a week on average turns up in the area that’s almost always associated with this short-term rental,” Williams said.
Williams also said these thieves are becoming more dangerous.
“Especially the teenagers are armed, most of the people stealing cars these days are armed it’s not worth losing your life over it,” Williams said.
He recommends that if you see someone trying to steal your car, you call 911, stay inside, and be a good witness.
“We really need law enforcement officers on the street; KCPD has to be supported,” Williams said.
Romero and Swyers agree, saying the crime is also hurting their wallets.
“It’s expensive because you have to pay for it over again, for nothing,” Romero said. “It’s like, why do they keep doing this?”
KCPD has some good ideas for you on how you can keep your car safe from thieves. Park your car in well-lit areas. Do not leave your garage door opener in your car. Make sure license plates are on tight. Most importantly, never leave your car running when you’re not in it, not even for a second.
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