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Nearly half of guns stolen in Cape Coral in 2018 from unlocked cars
12:14 AM EDT, Sat October 06, 2018
The Cape Coral Police Department confirmed 119 reported cases of guns stolen within the city so far in 2018, and there are still three months left in the year.
According to Cpl. Phil Mullen with CCPD, thieves stole 49 of those guns from cars.
He said they are one of the most frustrating cases to deal with because the crime could have been avoided had the owners locked their car.
"We could cut a lot of it down if they were inside the homes, because the vehicle burglaries, that's our biggest problem. It's so prolific in the city," Cpl. Mullen said.
In 2017, 155 guns were reported stolen, 64 of which came from cars. The year before, there were 151 cases, and 63 were taken from cars.
"We try to stress to people don't leave valuables in your car at all, whether you lock it or not. Certainly don't leave firearms in the car," Cpl. Mullen said.
Police recommend locking guns in a safe place, but said if it gets stolen, it's crucial to provide them with the serial number.
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"Your odds of getting your property back, and of that gun being taken out of the hands of people that shouldn't have it, are monumentally greater if we had that serial number."
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