Highland police investigating rash of car burglaries, thefts as chief stresses vigilance

Highland Police are investigating a series of car burglaries and thefts, but officials want the public to know Highland’s crime rate is still quite low.

The night of Sunday April 10, approximately 30 vehicles were burglarized and two cars were stolen from Highland residences, according to Police Chief Carole Presson. There were also some instances of “trespass to vehicle,” which meant they entered the car but did not steal anything, Presson said.

The two stolen cars were later found abandoned in St. Louis, Presson said. They have been processed and returned to their owners, she said.

“We’re working with the evidence and trying to determine if we can find the perpetrators,” Presson said.

The stolen items included wallets, cash and other loose items that people had left in the vehicles, many of which were unlocked, Presson said. Some of those items have been recovered; of those, some have been returned to the owners and others are awaiting processing by the Illinois State Police crime lab, she said.

“It’s very unusual for us to see anything like this in Highland,” Presson said. “Highland has a very low crime rate. But even in the safest of communities — which Highland is — we can fall victim to criminal behavior.”

In 2019, Highland had nine reports of violent crime and 92 reports of property crime, including six burglaries, 82 thefts, four motor vehicle thefts and one arson, according to the FBI Uniform Crime Report.

That year home security website Security Baron listed Highland as one of the safest cities in Illinois, with 0.82 violent crimes and 4.38 property crimes per 1,000 residents. The state average that year was 4.39 violent crimes and 20.11 property crimes per 1,000.

In 2020, there were 10 violent crimes reported in Highland and 129 reports of property crime, including 20 burglaries, 96 thefts and 11 motor vehicle thefts. While this is an increase in property crime, it is significantly lower than a decade ago, when Highland reported 192 property crimes in 2010.

Presson’s advice to residents: Remember to lock car doors, don’t leave anything in plain sight in a vehicle, and be careful about leaving belongings outside, such as lawnmowers and bicycles.

In addition, Presson encourages residents to call the police if they see anything suspicious.

“We all need to look out for our neighbors,” she said.

Remain vigilant

The Highland Police Department does have a camera program, Presson said. Residents who have a personal camera like Ring can register it with the police department, and if an incident occurs in the area, they will know to ask for the images. There are also community programs to get a camera installed on a person’s property, Presson said.

“Even though we are a very safe community with a very low violent crime rate, we still have to remain vigilant,” Presson said. “We need to look out for our neighbors and pay attention to our surroundings.”

However, Presson said it’s important to remember how low crime is in Highland compared to the rest of the state and the nation.

“Highland is one of the safest communities in our area, and I don’t want people to lose their faith in the fact that we’re a safe community,” she said.

This story was originally published April 15, 2022 at 1:57 PM.