The Quad Cities has recently seen an increase in the number of car thefts, especially in Bettendorf and Davenport. Deer Brooke, a neighborhood near Riverdale Heights Elementary school, has had several cars broken into, along with several others on Hillside Drive in Bettendorf.
The Haessler family had their cars broken into less than a week ago. Residents of Deer Brooke, they never thought it could happen to them. Senior Abby Haessler explains, “It was eye-opening. We didn’t have any valuables in the cars, but if we had they would have taken them.” She says, “You never think it can happen to you until it does.”
In the past week there have been two white Toyota Sequoias stolen from houses in Davenport and Bettendorf. One was stolen from a nurse, who had forgotten to lock her doors, and the other from a driveway while the residents of the house were sleeping. In both cases, the thieves took the cars for a ‘joy ride,’ and ended up totaling both of them.
On top of taking cars, some thieves are stealing valuables from cars they break into.
Even if the cars are in the garages, thieves can break into the garages and then the cars. Be sure not to keep a wallet, driver’s license, money or any valuables in the car at night and always be sure to lock the car door.
Thanks to technology, most modern cars have a key and key fob combined. This creates an issue when the key to your car can start to unlock other cars.
Some car thieves have wireless transmitters they use to steal keyless cars, or cars that have a button to start. This means they don’t need a copy of the key to steal the car. When holding the transmitter near the fob, it relays that signal to the vehicle. Then, a person standing close to the car captures the signal from the transmitter, which tricks the car into unlocking. The process is repeated to start the car.
Senior Claire Isbell says, “It has never been a big deal to me until it happened right by the high school, and it keeps moving closer to my neighborhood.” She explains, “I’m more nervous now since my car is kept outside in the driveway, which is easier to steal.
New technologies make it easier to steal cars. Thieves have several different ways they can steal cars now, not just using wireless transmitters. During this pandemic, everyone is scared. The increase in car theft concerns many locals, especially so close to their homes.
