Five smash-and-grab car burglaries last night

Media Relations Officer Kevin Kelshaw told Historic City News that five residents have reported car burglaries that all occurred yesterday evening between 6:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. at three different locations in the Fruit Cove area.

Car windows were smashed as a means of access in all of the crimes, while the victims were attending various functions.

Two of the burglaries occurred in the parking lot of the Switzerland Dance School in the 500 block of SR-13 North. While the victims were inside, their purses, containing credit cards and identification, were removed from each vehicle.

Two other vehicle burglaries occurred in the parking lot of the Julington Creek Plantation Aquatic Center located at 950 Davis Pond Boulevard. In both those incidents a woman’s purse and contents were removed after breaking a car window.

The fifth vehicle burglary occurred in a parking lot in the 3000 block of Race Track Road, at Julington Creek Plantation Park. A woman’s purse and contents were reported stolen.

St Johns County sheriff’s deputies would like to remind residents and visitors to never leave valuables in plain sight — even in a locked vehicle.

Although many burglaries occur to unlocked vehicles, we have seen an increase of “smash and grab” vehicle burglaries, where women are observed leaving their vehicle without a purse, according to Kelshaw.