Police investigate rash of vehicle break-ins

El Dorado police are asking for the public’s help in investigating a rash of vehicle break-ins and a motorcycle theft that were reported Friday in residential neighborhoods on the west side of town.

Thieves targeted nearly 20 vehicles in the areas of North and South Parkway, Oakhurst, North Newton, South Holloway and Griffith, police said.

Officers began receiving calls about the vehicle break-ins just after 6 a.m. Friday.

The first call came from a woman who said $20 cash and a debit card were missing from her vehicle at her residence in the 400 block of North Parkway.

While speaking with the woman, officers noticed the doors open on vehicles at the residence next door and a residence in the 300 block of North Parkway.

Police said several items were disturbed in the vehicle next door but they were unable to make contact with the owner.

The owner of the vehicle in the 300 block of North Parkway told officers that no items were missing and she did not wish to formally file a police report.

Officers said they also noticed the driver’s door open on a vehicle at a residence in the 400 block of South Parkway.

The owner of the vehicle said her wallet — which contained two debit cards, a credit card, driver’s license and Social Security card — was stolen.

Residents in the 600 and 700 blocks of North Parkway reported that an electronic benefit transfer card, two debit cards, a driver’s license, vehicle registration and insurance papers, a wireless speaker and an auxiliary cord were missing.

In the 1200 block of North Newton, three residents reported vehicle break-ins.

Items that were reported stolen included a cellphone, radar detector and a wallet that contained a debit card, loose change and a driver’s license.

A woman told police that a 22-caliber rifle was

taken from her vehicle in the 100 block of South Holloway.

Reported stolen from a vehicle at a residence in the 700 block of Griffith were a purse containing $300 cash, a checkbook, credit card, driver’s license and six Social Security cards.

The owner of the vehicle said her children told her they heard the door of a vehicle close between midnight and 1 a.m.

Lt. Chris Lutman, public information officer for the El Dorado Police Department, said investigators are following leads in the case.

Lutman said 18 vehicles were hit in the break-ins and in most of the incidents, the doors were unlocked and there were not any signs of forced entry.

One of the victims told officers the doors were unlocked and the keys were in the ignition in his vehicle when the break-in occurred.

Lutman advised residents to keep their vehicles locked and to remove valuable items from their vehicles.

“This can only work if we work together,” he said.

Lutman noted that the same area was hit in a series of break-ins that occurred in 2018.

Police are asking residents and businesses in the area to review their surveillance videos for suspicious activity.

A motorcycle was also reported stolen Friday from the parking lot of Chapel Ridge Apartments, 301 Moorewood Road.

The motorcycle was described as a black HarleyDavidson with a brown leather seat, brown rear satchel bag and a brown front-pouch near the headline.

Anyone with information about the break-ins or the theft is encouraged to call 870-881-4810.