WALKER, Mich. — The Walker Police Department is warning residents once again to protect their valuables after an uptick in "smash & grabs" at area parks.
Walker police posted on their Facebook page Friday morning that thieves have been targeting unattended vehicles around the Johnson and Millennium Park areas.
It's assumed these thieves are going through the parking lots and scoping out cars for items of interest, such a purses, wallets or backpacks. They will then smash out windows in order to grab the items, before quickly leaving the area.
Police say they will be increasing their presence in these areas to deter thefts.
You're encouraged to call 911 immediately if you see any suspicious behavior. Such behavior could be checking door handles, peering into cars or breaking windows. The sooner police come, the sooner they can catch the thieves in the act.
This also comes as the Kent County Sheriff's Office is seeing an increase in license plate thefts in the area. The sheriff's office is asking anyone who's had their plate stolen to contact them, as they could end up being attached to stolen vehicles in the future.
As always, police are reminding everyone to remove valuables from their vehicles, or hiding them out of sight before leaving their vehicle unattended.
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