Watertown, Massachusetts, has recently seen a spate of car break-ins, with police now charging two juveniles in connection with the crimes. Yesterday morning, between 5:30 a.m. and 6:15 a.m., officers received 15 reports of such incidents on Worcester, Fitchburg, Quincy, Springfield, and Palfrey streets, according to WCVB. A stolen vehicle from Harnden Avenue the previous Sunday adds to the tally, and police have confirmed the recovery of one stolen car along with additional property.
Home surveillance systems proved crucial, having captured the suspects on camera as they moved from one car to another. Meanwhile, thieves seem to quickly have worked their way through the neighborhood, checking for unlocked cars to pilfer. "On the video, you can see they just completely take their time, lights come on in the car, they couldn't care less, they're just walking around like they own the neighborhood," one neighbor described in an interview with WCVB. Since July 31, over 75 cars were broken into, with six thefts amounting to motor vehicles being stolen.
Residents of Watertown have voiced their disturbances and concerns over the rash of break-ins. "It feels kind of icky…just knowing that somebody went through my stuff,” Jan Marchant told WHDH, after realizing her unlocked car was among those rummaged through. Ahmed Naguib, another resident, lamented the loss of a deeply personal item taken from his car, saying to WHDH, “A bracelet that I got from the hospital when my daughter was born. That’s something I kept close to me. What’s more violating is that you know that you’re not one hundred percent safe anymore.”
The surveillance footage has aided the Watertown police in their investigation, leading to the identification of the two young suspects. Details regarding the precise charges they will face, however, remain unclear. Rob Mullen observed, as he relayed to WHDH, the audacity of the thefts, noting "going through all the cars across the street, trying to see which ones are unlocked, which ones they could get into." As the police continue to investigate the full scope of these thefts, they urge anyone with information to call 617-972-6500.
