Arnold Police are warning residents about an aggressive group of people looking to steal from vehicles who began showing up in the city in early July. Police are investigating 15 cases involving vehicles that were damaged while the thieves were trying to break into them, and in at least five cases, items were stolen from the vehicles. In addition, two vehicles were stolen between July 1-9, Capt. Rich Shular said.
“I think it is a group that has decided to come down this way, and they are not satisfied with just trying to find open doors,” Shular said. “They are more aggressive.”
Arnold Police were first alerted to the problem after receiving two reports the morning of July 1. At 12:04 a.m. that day, there was a theft from a car parked outside the Syberg’s restaurant, 249 Arnold Crossroads Center. Someone broke out the rear passenger-side window on a 2019 Nissan Maxima there, causing $1,000 worth of damage. A purse, a backpack, nutritional supplements and a pair of Apple Airpods were stolen from the car. The stolen items were valued at $590, the report said.
At 7:08 a.m. July 1, police were called to the Pear Tree Inn, 1201 Drury Lane, after someone broke the rear driver-side window on a 2012 Jeep Cherokee. Several items were stolen from the Jeep, including a Springfield XC 9mm worth $400 and a lunchbox and medication, together worth a combined $20. The cost to repair the damage was estimated at $120, according to the report.
Arnold Police received four reports about vehicles being damaged between about 10 p.m. July 1 and 7:40 a.m. July 2.
The driver-side rear window on a 2017 Jeep was shattered while parked in the 1900 block of Richardson Road. Nothing was taken from the Jeep, and the damage was estimated at $200, the report said.
In the 900 block of Arnold Commons Drive, a window on the driver-side door of a 2017 Chevrolet Camaro was broken out. Nothing was stolen from the car, and the damage was estimated at $400, according to the report.
At the Drury Inn and Suites, 3800 Hwy. 141, a 2017 GMC Sierra’s front passenger window was broken out and two bags were stolen from the pickup. No estimate was provided for the damage to the window, and the victim said about $150 worth of items were in the stolen bags, the report said.
At Pear Tree Inn, 1201 Drury Lane, a rear passenger-side window was broken on a 2015 Ford Taurus. However, nothing was taken from the car, and the damage to the car was estimated at $600, according to the report.
On July 6, police were called to Medart Engine, a wholesale distributor at 124 Manufacturers Drive, when an employee discovered the driver-side front window, door lock and ignition on the company’s 2011 Ford van were damaged. Nothing was reported stolen from the van, and the cost to repair the damage was estimated at $1,000, the report said.
On July 8, Arnold Police received reports about two vehicles broken into outside a hotel and another vehicle break-in outside of a grocery store, according to police reports.
Between about 7 p.m. July 7 and 5:55 a.m. July 8, the front passenger-side window on a 2003 Dodge Ram and the rear driver-side window on a 2018 Kia Sorento were broken out at the hotel. A Ruger 10-22 worth $300 was stolen out of the Ram, and the cost to repair the damage to the pickup was estimated at $700. The damage to the Sorento’s window was estimated at $700, and nothing was reported stolen from the SUV, the report said.
In that same time frame, the front passenger window was broken out of a 2016 Nissan Altima parked outside of the Dierbergs grocery store, 860 Arnold Commons Drive. Nothing was stolen from the car, but the damage to the car was estimated at $200, according to the report.
Arnold Police were notified about five vehicle break-ins and two stolen vehicles around the city between about 10 p.m. July 8 and 8:10 a.m. July 9, and an officer saw two vehicles suspected of being used during those break-ins and thefts, the report said.
Two vehicles were broken into in the 3200 block of Richardson Place Road. The passenger-side window on a 2001 Dodge Ram and the rear passenger-side window on a 2008 Nissan Altima were broken out. The cost to repair each window was estimated at $200, and while nothing was reported stolen from the Ram, a shop vac worth $175 was missing from the Altima, according to the report.
While an officer was investigating those two break-ins, he saw a white 2018 Chevrolet Impala and another dark passenger vehicle quickly exit the area and get onto northbound I-55. The officer attempted to pull over the vehicles, but the drivers fled into south St. Louis County and the pursuit was ended, the report said.
It was later determined the Impala, which was left unlocked, was stolen from outside the Richardson Place Apartments. The car was valued at $13,000, according to the report.
Arnold Police also were called to the 1900 block of Melody Lane on July 9, after the driver-side door on a 2016 Kia Soul was forced open. The culprit found a key to a 2017 Kia Optima inside the Soul, and the Optima was stolen. The Optima was valued at $13,000, and the damage to the Soul was estimated at $350, the report said.
Two other vehicles were damaged overnight between July 8-9. In the 2000 block of Bender Lane, the front and rear driver-side doors on a 2017 Dodge Charger were damaged and the windows on those doors were broken, causing an estimated $1,300 in damage. Also, the driver-side door on a 2019 Dodge Challenger parked in the 1500 block of Avion Ridge Drive was damaged. The damage to the Challenger was estimated at $350, according to the report.
Also on July 9, Arnold Police were called at about 8:10 a.m. to the Circle K gas station, 2046 Key West Drive, where a Dodge Ram, which was left unlocked and running when the driver went into the station’s convenience store, was stolen. The pickup, which was valued at $2,400, was recovered at about 3:45 a.m. July 10 on I-55 near Gasconade Street in St. Louis. The pickup was returned to the owner, the report said.
Arnold Police have received reports from other police departments about similar vehicle break-ins, Shular said.
He asks residents to contact their local police department if they see anything suspicious.
“Anyone who sees anything out of the norm or sees any vehicles acting strangely in the area, making frequent stops, driving without headlights on, they should call the police department right away, so we can get a car in the area,” Shular said.
He said people should avoid leaving items in their vehicles. He also recommended parking vehicles under lights.
“If you are parking on a lot or at home, light is your best friend in these situations,” Shular said. “If you have an outside light that you can keep on and shine on your car at night, light is a great deterrent.”