Nashville neighborhood deals with large number of car burglaries

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WSMV) - Neighbors in the Richland community are searching for solutions after a string of car break-ins.

Residents said up to 15 car windows were smashed out around 3:30 Monday morning, and the thieves got away with several important personal items.

Andrea Wyatt said she keeps her car unlocked and empty to prevent anyone from smashing one of her windows. Instead, the thieves went through her belongings and took some money.

“I would rather them rummage through the car and not break a window than take a bunch of stuff, and we also have to replace everything,” Wyatt said. “If someone is going to do a bad thing, I am at least going to make it less bad for me.”

Metro Police said four break-ins have officially been reported, and witnesses said they saw two men running away from the scene as car alarms blared.

Shards of broken car windows still sit scattered across the road. Some cars have been patched with trash bags while others sit with open windows.

“It feels very invasive, not to mention it’s your stuff,” Wyatt said. “When you are a mom at home with a newborn, it’s unsettling because he’s my top priority.”

The thieves made their way two blocks down Richland Ave. to break into other cars. Kitty Delany said this used to be a great area to live, but the neighborhood is now on edge after this uptick in crime.

Delany said she would never park her car on the street at night after these break-ins, and neighbors are starting to work together on different options to improve the safety of their vehicles.

“As a neighborhood association and as a group of neighbors, we are trying to figure out what we are going to do to make it more safe,” Delany said. “Do we add lighting, do we add cameras, do we do license plate readers. We’re just trying to figure out what our options are.”

Andrea has already ordered security cameras installed on her house after this theft. She said it is a simple step of protection for her family to prevent their car from being vandalized again.

“This sucks,” Wyatt said. “It costs a lot of money to repair. When you’re a new mom at home with a baby, that’s not the best feeling to feel unsecure in your neighborhood.”

Metro Police are investigating the break-ins. Officers recommended removing all valuable items from a car and parking off the street to deter criminals from targeting your vehicle.

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