Police investigate series of car break-ins in downtown – NBC10 Philadelphia

Neighbors in the area of ​​22nd and Sansom Streets in Philadelphia discovered that vehicles parked there were the target of vandals and thieves after a series of break-ins occurred over the weekend.

Broken glass was scattered on the ground all over the street and on Tuesday morning vehicles could be seen in the area with their windows hastily replaced and covered with plastic bags.

And according to police, several car owners in the area have been found to have broken into their homes and stolen money and other items, such as a taillight.

According to officials, this is a problem that neighbors in this area have been struggling with for months.

Elizabeth Allen, who lives in the area, told NBC10’s Miguel Martinez-Valle that not only is theft a problem, but the break-ins also make the streets unsafe because broken glass can pose a danger.

“It’s not ideal. I definitely wouldn’t recommend you keep valuables in your car,” she said. “But it’s more dangerous for the neighborhood and the community. You know, school starts soon, kids are running around, people just driving have shards of glass in their tires or shoes…”

Police say they have received reports of similar break-ins throughout the area, including problems along Pennsylvania Avenue in the Fairmount neighborhood in May and more vandalism and break-ins near the intersection of Wallace and Brown streets in June.

In July, police said they had received a number of reports of burglaries in the area of ​​Locust and Sansom streets.

Police officials have said they are investigating to determine if there is a connection between the recent incidents and are trying to see if surveillance video from the area can help identify those responsible for the ongoing problems.

They said the investigation was ongoing.