Car break-ins are down in Howard County, police say
Howard County Police said there have been fewer car break-ins and thefts from vehicles so far this year.
On Monday, police reported a decrease of more than 25% in these crimes.
For the victims, though, these crimes remain a costly bill to pay.
What police data shows
There's still glass in the parking lot of The Brook apartments in Columbia. Two cars are also still missing windows.
Last week, police reported that four cars were broken into, but nothing was taken out of them.
As of April 12, there were 193 of these crimes reported. For the same time period in 2024, police data shows there were 260.
This month so far, according to police's daily bulletins, at least 65 cars have been broken into across the county.
While it may seem like a lot, police said there can be spikes here and there with these crimes.
"Occasionally, one person or a group of people will be active for a period of time and hit many vehicles -- which is why it may seem as though there's an increase," said Seth Hoffman, public information officer with Howard County Police.
Costly aftermath
Herzel Outmezguine, general manager for ACI Body Shop & Collision Center, said they've definitely had less customers come in needing repairs for these crimes.
When someone does, though, he said the average repair is around $1,000 to $1,500.
"We need to change, generally, door glass, [there could be] instrument cluster damage, lock assembly, things of that nature," Outmezguine said.
While it can't completely prevent a break-in, Outmezguine recommends bolstering your car's security.
"It'd be good to add a second security system to the vehicle," he said. "They would be very helpful."
Police prevention tips
Police advise residents to always lock their vehicles when they can and to never leave their keys inside. Also, leave everything of value out of sight, or take it out of your vehicle completely.
When parking your car, always find a well-lit area or park inside a garage when possible.
Find more tips to prevent car break-ins here.
