GENESEO, Ill. — The Geneseo Police Department is sending out a warning after a rash of car thefts.
Police said two cars were stolen over the weekend, both on Saturday Nov. 26.
One theft involved a Chevrolet Silverado, which was stolen on the west side of town. Police recovered the vehicle.
Another theft involved a Ford Fusion, which was last seen in Rock Island.
Authorities are still searching for suspects in both incidents.
Police said these cases add to the ongoing problem of car thefts in the Quad Cities area, which often involve teenagers 12 through 18 years old.
Deputy Chief Gene Karzin also emphasized how these thefts are often a crime of opportunity.
"Sometimes, it'll be a couple guys going down the street and trying every car door," he said. "Once they find a vehicle unlocked, they go in, they'll do a burglary - if the keys are there, that's even a bonus - and they'll take the cars and move on to do other acts."
Police said that there's been no pattern in terms of make and model or location of the stolen vehicles.
"I know a lot of people on our Facebook page asked us 'where did this happen at?' - it doesn't matter," Karzin said. "I'm sure [the suspects] were searching all over the city. It's going to happen wherever they find an open car. That's the car they're looking for."
The deputy chief strongly recommends to lock your car, even if it's parked in a garage or you're leaving the vehicle for a short time.
"I know it's getting to be cold out, it's gonna be really cold tomorrow... It's nice to have a warm car when you get in it - but the car needs to be there when you get there," Karzin said. "You don't want to leave your car warmed up, and now it's gone."
Especially going into the holiday season where you might be shopping more, he also recommends to hide valuables in your trunk or out of sight.
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