Sheriff: Lock car doors at all times

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By NATHAN GREGORY
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Oktibbeha County Sheriff’s deputies are investigating a Thursday-morning string of car burglaries in the area of Cardinal Lane, a residential road in western Oktibbeha County.

OCSD Chief Deputy Chadd Garnett said he received three reports regarding items stolen from cars, but there could be as many as five burglaries. OCSD currently has no leads on a suspect because none of the victims who reported the thefts observed anyone during the crimes.

“It appears they’re not going in cars that are locked,” Garnett said. “They’re just checking and if it’s unlocked they go in and ramble through.”

Garnett sid the incidents are isolated to that area. On a smaller scale, the burglaries are similar in nature to the rash of car item thefts that occurred last month in the city. A juvenile was arrested in connection with those incidents and was charged with multiple counts of burglary. Forty auto burglaries were reported to Starkville Police Department over a week.

Sheriff Steve Gladney said he wants to caution residents to refrain from storing expensive items in their vehicles and to lock them when they’re parked.

“We just want to remind everybody to lock their vehicles and make sure their … buildings are locked.”
Garnett said anyone who sees suspicious activity needs to call the sheriff’s department and report it immediately.

“This is not to panic anybody. These are the first ones we’ve had,” he said. “We just want to remind people to take valuables out of the car and lock their doors when it’s parked.”