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LEHI — It’s a common theme in some popular holiday movies like “The Grinch” or “Home Alone” — thieves who steal during this time of the year. And sometimes fiction is very close to reality.
Just ask Lehi Police Department officer Gavin Johnson, as he patrols the streets in his community, working to prevent a common property crime from thieves looking for an opportunity.
“Sometimes they will hang around a little bit, just to make sure and see if someone is going in or out, or if someone is in the garage and then make their break,” Johnson said.
And it only took a couple of minutes as KSL TV rode along with him before he found a garage door left open.
Police say in recent weeks they have been called on a rash of burglaries related to garages left open, making tools, bicycles and other valuables easy for criminals to steal.
Thieves will steal purses or other valuables out of cars, and sometimes cars themselves.
“And we will get calls about this, usually people will say they left their car running and they went to go inside for something and someone takes their car pretty quick,” Johnson added.
And in some cases, open garages give brazen burglars access to get inside of the home. While perhaps a few thieves want money for Christmas, in most cases, they are motivated by a drug addiction.
“Criminals, what they do is steal stuff and sell it so they can get some money to buy their dope or whatever it is,” Johnson said.
Police admit these garage burglaries can be tough to solve without serial numbers on the stolen items. That’s why officer Johnson is doing his part, offering some friendly reminders around town, hoping it helps to prevent a call from someone about a theft in their garage.
