Car owners to pay hundreds of dollars after Davis smash-and-grab spree damage
DAVIS — Dozens of drivers must pay hundreds of dollars to get their car windows fixed after they were all damaged or broken in an Aug. 5 smash-and-grab spree in Davis.
According to Davis police, on Friday, around 6 a.m., reports started coming in with the same description: broken windows, glove compartments, and middle consoles left open, and, in some cases, items stolen from inside.
"She immediately comes back to the door to tell me I need to come outside and help her out," said Nava Babaei, a UC Davis student who shared the story of her roommate's broken windows with CBS13.
Babaei said the car's back and passenger windows were shattered into tiny pieces, likely by a tool that didn't set off the car alarm.
She, and her roommate, were home at the time, and the car was parked on the street just a few feet from their home.
"This is a place where a lot of students live, and their pockets are being hurt when they already can't afford to fix $500 for two windows," said Babaei.
Nothing was stolen from their car, but a vehicle on the same street, owned by a nurse, was robbed of the nursing bag left inside the vehicle overnight, Babaei said.
Some of the locations of the smash-and-grabs are near downtown Davis on the 100 block of C Street and 2nd and C St. Another reported near 5th Street, on the 500 block of L Street. Another break-in reported on the 600 block of Pole Line Road, close to it, another reported on the 600 block of Cantrill Drive.
Other reports took place near Sycamore in North Davis. Windmere Apartments on 5th St. in Davis also reported a vehicle broken, according to Davis police.
Reports of robbery and vandalism can be seen on the Davis Police Department crime map. There were at least 25 vehicles that reported damage.
In cases where nothing was taken, and it's clear no entry into the vehicle was made, it's classified as vandalism. In cases where entry was made, or something was taken, it's classified as robbery.
"If you live in any of the areas, and know that one of your neighbors was targeted or victimized by these crimes… review your surveillance and see if anything was captured," said Sergeant John Ranger at the Davis Police Department.
In this case, he said, it's unclear if it was a suspect or multiple suspects, but that it likely involved more than one person because of the number of vehicles damaged. He added this many vehicles targeted by smash-and-grabs is "very rare."
"Any town that has proximity to freeways tends to be a target because of how easy it is to get out of town quickly, even before the first break in is reported," said Ranger.
At this time, the police don't have a motive.
