ST. LOUIS – Early Monday morning, car thieves struck Bancroft Avenue, damaging at least seven cars, and leaving some residents pinching their pockets.
A trend that’s only getting worse now has locals voicing some ideas.
“We watch them do it on video; we can’t approach them, we’re afraid to,” said one resident.
She lived in her house for 20 years and has been in the neighborhood her entire life. She said she caught the moment car thieves hit Bancroft Avenue attempting to bust open doors in south St. Louis City’s Lindenwood Park.
“Several of the cars on the block here had been hit,” she said.
According to the police, a call came in around 7 a.m. about seven vehicles damaged.
“This time it was like 12:30 quarter of 1,” said a resident.
The longtime locals said car thieves normally hit around 4-4:30 a.m. The timing created more concerns.
“That could be my kids when they’re coming home still…. That’s what’s scary,” said a resident.
By Monday afternoon, shattered glass surrounded some of the cars hit. A whole line of vehicles was now parked and trapped.
“The last three years we’ve been hit three times,” another resident who wished to not be named. “What more can we do? We even think about leaving our cars unlocked, so they can see there’s nothing in there, and then it doesn’t cost us anything.”
In total, the resident spent at least $1,000 in deductibles.
“The first time it happened; they don’t even send anybody out,” said the resident.
What frustrated her is the police not even coming out of the scene. She said she supports the police and understands there’s more pressing crimes occurring, but still, she wants to know, “Is anything being done?”
It’s the easy access from Bancroft Avenue to Chippewa Street that has residents in the neighborhood believing it could be why their street was targeted, and not others.
It didn’t take long for news of car break-ins to spread around the community. Over in St. Louis Hills neighborhood near Francis Park, they hired a private company. Since March, the St. Louis Hills Neighborhood Association said their private officer has stopped seven criminals.
“This block is pretty quiet, and we’re only one block over,” said a local.
David Meyerkord explained why there’s a difference between Winnona and Bancroft.
“Easy access. easy in, fast out,” he said.
However, Meyerkord said busted windows won’t break the community bond.
“They’re not going to move because of it; people love this neighborhood and love their homes too much,” he said.
Local leadership in the district has yet to discuss the slew of break-ins or whether they are looking into similar security measures.