Cambria thefts target unlocked vehicles

Three important words from local law enforcers: Lock your vehicles.

And, as a bonus, lock your houses, businesses, sheds, tool boxes and other areas where valuable or useful items could be found.

Sheriff’s K-9 Deputy Jon Franklin said at a March 24 Cambria Community Services District meeting that he didn’t have many specifics about a rash of petty thefts earlier that day in Cambria. But, he said, there was a common denominator in the 10 incidents that he knew about on Park Hill and near Shamel Park in which items were taken from vehicles: “None of them were locked. … Even though we live in Cambria, it’s best to keep everything locked up.”

A log of incidents deputies responded to March 24 showed 11 petty thefts reported between 8 a.m. and 10:20 p.m., including one at Lombardi’s Pasta Familia restaurant on Bridge Street.

One more petty theft was reported the next day.

Franklin didn’t offer a theory on the identity of the thief or thieves.

There has been conjecture in the past that similar petty thefts might have been the work of a contingent of homeless people in the area.

But the recent rash of thefts also happened during spring break/Easter week.

Until the perpetrator(s) are identified and apprehended, those concepts remain nothing more than guesswork.

This story was originally published March 30, 2016 at 10:21 AM with the headline "Cambria thefts target unlocked vehicles."