Influx of car thefts in Joplin

Joplin police have released a press statement addressing a sudden influx of car thefts in Joplin. Police suggest that you keep your vehicle’s doors locked whenever you are away from your vehicle for extended periods of time. Joplin PD noted that, “Several incidents of thefts reported to the Joplin Police Department have involved vehicles being left unlocked and easily accessible by suspects.”

Statistics show that a large percentage of thefts are “crimes of convenience” meaning that the crime was committed because it was easy to do so. By locking your vehicle’s doors you are putting up a simple barrier that makes it inconvenient for the robber to get in and thus more likely to move along.

Joplin police say another great way to avoid your car being robbed is by never leaving valuable items in your vehicle. By making it a habit to bring valuable items inside your home at night, locking them in your glovebox, or at the very least placing the items out of sight you can greatly reduce your chances of falling victim to robbery.

So far in 2022, there have been 280 “Theft From Vehicle” cases reported to Joplin PD. 24 of those cases have occurred so far this month.