Monroe sheriff’s deputies investigating car break-ins in High Falls

HIGH FALLS, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – Monroe County sheriff’s deputies are warning travelers to lock up their valuables when they leave their cars.

“This is probably our sixth case of this kind of incident,” Sgt. Lawson Bittick with the sheriff’s office said.

This month, three thieves broke into several cares in High Falls.

“..two or three vehicles at the High Falls Water Park. Then immediately left and went to the state park, which is less than a mile away and did the same thing for two more vehicles,” Bittick said.

He says car break-ins are becoming more common up and down I-75 where people tend to leave their cars at rest stops and parks for 30 minutes or more.

“What law enforcement would suggest is to always put your stuff up in your trunk because if they can’t see it, they don’t know it’s in the car,” Bittick said.

He said suspects have used stolen credit cards at several locations around Atlanta.

“They use it within the hour because they think more than likely that person is going to report it stolen or not going to notice it,” Bittick said.

According to Bittick, surveillance video shows the suspects in a late model black Chevrolet Impala like this one.

Bittick thinks catching the suspects will be difficult, but he has an idea of where it’s all coming from.

“We think the greatest probability of where they’re originating from is out of Florida. They tend to rent cars and they never have the same car,” Bittick said.

He added there isn’t one particular group responsible for the break-ins. Bittick said the cases happen at random and the best thing people can do is lock up their belongings.