63 Automobile Break-ins and 4 Stolen Cars; Crimes of Opportunity: What They Are and How to Avoid Them

---

What is a Crime of Opportunity? They are not carefully planned, but rather what happens when the right moment presents itself. A car left unlocked with the keys inside, valuable items left in plain sight, or even a package left unattended on the front porch can all become invitations for unwanted guests. While Lexington is known for being a relatively safe town, even quiet communities like ours are not exempt from crime. After a series of car break-ins that resulted in sixty-three cars being broken into and four stolen, the residents of Lexington were left wondering, “How can I stay safe?”

That is exactly what Jeanie Andrews asked herself after she fell victim to one of these criminal acts in the early hours of Saturday, May 24th. “My husband woke up and went downstairs to take a walk and noticed that the cars in our driveway had the passenger doors wide open.”

At first, they thought it may have been an accident. With three sons of all of driving age, it seemed possible that one of them had forgotten to close a door, “ I thought it was some kid who thought it would be funny to skateboard down our road and randomly open car doors.” Andrews admitted, but when they looked across the street and next door, they noticed the same thing happened to their neighbor’s cars. “That’s when my husband said, ‘I think we should call the police.’”

The Lexington Police arrived promptly and informed Andrews that they had already received numerous calls similar to hers since 4:00 o’clock that morning. Later, she realized that several other neighborhoods around Lexington had been hit as well. “I started seeing posts on the Mavens and talking to neighbors, and I realized it wasn’t just us. They hit different pockets of neighborhoods around town,” she said. Although nothing was stolen from the Andrews’ cars, the glove compartments had clearly been searched. “They were obviously looking for something, wallets, maybe keys,” she said.

What shocked the family most wasn’t just that the crime occurred, but how coordinated it all felt. “This wasn’t just a random act. It felt professional. They hit so many neighborhoods, wore masks, and were clearly organized,” she said. “It was unsettling.”
Despite the scare, Andrews praised the Lexington Police Department’s fast action. “The officer who came by was great, very thorough. She took pictures, asked questions, and even brought in someone to take fingerprints about twenty minutes later … They were great—fast, professional, and calm.”

 

Andrews and her family quickly made changes. “We left an hour later for a soccer game, and already my husband had ordered a Ring camera. We got back from the game, it was already on our doorstep, and we got it on the front door.” She recounts. The incident also prompted a conversation with her family about safety. “Those days of leaving the car door unlocked are over,” she laughed. “We are not doing that again.”

While Lexington is a safe place to live, events like these are a reminder that crime can happen anywhere, even in the places that we least expect it. According to Lieutenant Colleen Dunbar of the Lexington Police Department, the sixty-three vehicles that were broken into, and four cars stolen, spanned across two consecutive weekends, starting May 16th into May 17th, and May 23rd into May 24th. The break-ins occurred late at night into the early morning hours between 11:00 p.m. and 4:30 a.m. on both Friday nights.

Dunbar pointed out that the group mainly targeted areas with quick access to highways such as Lincoln Street, School Street, and Bedford Street. “They just went up the highway and hit all these towns where they could jump right back on the highway and go,” she said. “They stole a car from Lincoln, which was found in Waltham. Then they hit Waltham, and the car that was stolen from Waltham was found in Lexington. Then Lexington’s stolen vehicle ended up in Lynnfield.”

Some arrests have been made related to the incidents, after a car chase occurred, from Wellesley to Wakefield; however, Dunbar noted that several of the suspects are juveniles, and therefore difficult to track. “They’re very young, some haven’t been in the system.” She clarified that in almost all cases, there was no damage to the vehicles. “They just were opening the doors, grabbing what they wanted, what they could, and then kept going.” Dunbar stressed that it was not the work of local kids or a prank gone wrong but an organized group from a different town in Massachusetts.

As for prevention, her advice is simple and clear: “In this instance, if your car was locked, they were not targeting you,” she says. Locking your cars and having motion lights that go on when there’s something in your driveway is the best way to prevent future break-ins. Don’t think just because it’s Lexington, you don’t need to lock your car,” Dunbar reiterated.

The Lexington Police Department confirmed in a statement that “In all reported incidents, the vehicles were either left unlocked or the keys were left inside.”

Dunbar also urges parents of new drivers to start teaching safe habits early. “Start when they’re getting their licenses. Always lock your car and make sure you’re checking the vehicle before you get in.” These crimes of opportunity, such as car break-ins, don’t happen because a town is necessarily unsafe, but rather what happens when residents get too comfortable. In most cases, the difference between whether or not you were a target was as simple as a locked door.

Lexington may be safe, but staying safe means staying alert, and if something feels off, report it. Lieutenant Dunbar’s final advice to the Lexington community “Lock your cars, please!”

Stay up-to-date with public notices from the Lexington Police department by visiting their Facebook page at facebook.com/LexingtonMAPolice. And, if you see potential criminal activity, call the Lexington police.