It’s a criminal trend no one in the Rogue Valley wants to see resurface, but a new rash of car break-ins is plaguing residents in North Medford once more.
According to Medford Police, multiple cars were broken into along Silver Palm and Forest Hills Drive.
One car was stolen and later recovered.
Medford resident Jerome Dean is the latest victim.
Dean says someone broke the window of his truck and stole his wallet, and by using his garage door opener in his car, they stole a new welder and some hunting knives out of his garage.
On Tuesday and just a street over, Medford Police write on Facebook that suspect Tyson Manny broke into several cars on Forest Hills Drive, and even stole a jeep.
That vehicle was recovered after a pursuit, but Manny is still on the run and 2 guns are missing from the cars.
According to the Medford Police Incident Report, theft from a vehicle was at 757 as of July this year which is on-track to come out even higher than each of the past two years.
As for the latest car break-ins, Dean recovered the welder.
He found it hiding behind a neighbor’s bush.
He also found something else.
“I found somebody else’s id–a lady down around the corner–that was thrown in the gutter and returned it to her. She said her wallet had been taken out of her car,” Jerome Dean said.
After Dean’s experience, he has a message for his neighbors.
“I wouldn’t be using your garage door opener in your vehicle anymore… I’d be keeping it in the house,” Dean said.
Numerous residents in the neighborhood say they have had similar experiences.
Earlier this year, several items from Medford car break-ins were recovered and two suspects were arrested back in February.
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