Rash of car burglaries investigated

Seven auto burglaries – five of them in Sights Acres – were investigated by Clinton police over the weekend.
Detective Lt. Ray Hammans said most of the vehicles had been left unlocked. Three wallets were among the items stolen, along with a handgun with an estimated value of $600.
Hammans said Tuesday that credit cards from a couple of the wallets have been used at one or two businesses around town, and police are getting video in an effort to determine who the thief – or thieves – may have been. As of Tuesday morning, no arrests had been made.
Police Officer Ben Radke discovered two of the burglaries while canvassing the area around where the first one was reported.
That was at 210 Randolph Rd. where Fabian Roque reported his Chevrolet Tahoe burglarized early Saturday morning. He said a large amount of coins and a knife were stolen from the center console.
After taking that report, Radke began his canvass of the area. At 2514 Thomas Circle he found the door of a Nissan Altima open and contacted owner Hope Sawatzky. She checked the car and said her wallet which contained her driver’s license was the only thing missing.
At 9 Peterson Drive, Radke found the door open to a Chevrolet pickup. He contacted owner Sharla Wicker who found her wallet containing her driver’s license, credit cards and debit cards missing.
Officer Peter Porcher was the investigating officer on the next one, at 216 Randolph where Amanda Hines reported her GMC Denali Suburban had been broken into and gone through. Her wallet which contained several credit cards and debit cards also was missing.
On Sunday Lt. Shane Harrelson was called to 1600 Redstone Dr. where owner Wesley Cabaniss had found two Dodge Ram pickups burglarized. He reported a 9-millimeter Glock handgun missing from one of them.
Before that rash of thefts, Rebecca Willey of Geary had reported several things stolen from the bed of a covered pickup while it was parked at the Econo Lodge, 1413 Neptune Dr. The burglary was discovered Friday morning.
Ms. Willey told Officer Bill Gerstenkorn that she had failed to lock the cover of the pickup and she was missing a bag which contained some medications and a small amount of cash.