Milwaukee police: 1,600 guns stolen from cars in past two years
By Caroline Reinwald
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MILWAUKEE (WISN) — Milwaukee Police Department is warning car owners to park in secure areas and to leave their firearms at home.
Thursday, Milwaukee police Chief Jeffrey Norman said they’ve seen more thieves targeting cars for guns.
“We’ve seen an increase of guns stolen from vehicles. This gives greater accessibility to individuals that may not be allowed to possess firearms,” Norman said. “If you legally carry a firearm, lock your vehicles and keep your firearm secure. Park in well-lit areas. Be aware of your surroundings.”
On Thursday, MPD confirmed in 2021 and 2022, thieves stole a total of 1,600 guns from vehicles.
The announcement comes after a slew of car break-ins around the city, specifically in the Third Ward and around downtown. Several of those incidents were reported to WISN 12 News by victims who came out to find their car windows smashed but nothing missing.
“Glove box was open, counsel was open, they rifled through everything,” Ed Faulk said last month when his truck was targeted in a parking lot in the Third Ward. Faulk said he used the hotel’s valet and found his truck vandalized the next morning.
“(Police) showed up and said basically it’s been happening more and more frequently,” said Brad Franzen, who parked his car along with dozens of others near N. 7th Street and W. McKinley Place in December for a Marquette basketball game at Fiserv Forum.
Franzen said his vehicle windows were smashed, along with all the other cars parked on the street.
In the Third Ward, newly hired security now patrols the area. Residents said they hope it helps deter thieves and general crime.
“It happens any day of the week, it’s not just weekends,” said Adam Weigold, president of the Broadway Condominiums Association. “A lot of the time you hear people yelling in the middle of the night, after they came back to cars that are smashed. You walk down the street after bars close and see smash, smash, smash.”
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