KILLEEN, Texas — Car thefts and break-ins in Killeen have more than doubled since November 2022, leaving residents like Sharron Shipman concerned and demanding change for their community.
Shipman wants to know what the police are doing to solve this problem. She first reached out to 6 News when she noticed people were having their cars broken into in a parking lot designated for Tesla employees.
"People are getting tired of getting their car broken into then they have to fix them again," Shipman said.
With car thefts up 221% in November 2023 from November 2022, Shipman said she isn't shocked.
Assistant Chief of Police for the Killeen Police Department Alex Gearhart said they're working to help the community, with resources and more patrolling.
"We're working to patrol the areas that see more crime," Gearhart added.
Gearhart said authorities are noticing a trend and that more "juveniles" are comitting these specific crimes.
"They get arrested and then end up back on the street and re-offend," he added.
Gearhart added that across the state of Texas the juvenile system is having a hard time with a lack of resources and so on, preventing the kids from being kept off the streets. He can't confirm that this is what's happening in Killeen, but it's something they're keeping an eye on.
The Texas Tribune has put out several reports regarding the Texas Juvenile Justice System and the troubles it faces state wide. Read here for more.
Another concern of Gearart's is the TikTok trend where people show how to steal KIAs. He said many KIAs have been targets because of this, but the thefts are not exclusive to that one brand.
6 News has reported on this exact trend for months. Going back to October of 2023, there were multiple reports of cars being broken into in a lot on Elms Road where Tesla workers had to park to be shuttled to work.
The workers have become frustrated, including one who spoke with our team. They wished to remain unknown, but made sure to detail how their car had been broken into in less than one month.
"We're telling people to be aware in their communities."
That means adding cameras to your property and cars, keeping everything locked and having no visible items in your car when you leave it.
As for Shipman, she hopes the thefts stop soon.
"People need to start speaking up so something can change."
You can find more helpful information here, at the National Insurance Crime Bureau site like:
“My Car Has Been Stolen! What Do I Do Now?”
day, auto thefts are climbing and have been doing so for the last couple of years. According to NICB’s own data, auto thefts are up to a level not seen in more than a decade. Here’s a few questions and answers that may help should this occur to you.
Why do you need to report the stolen car to the law enforcement?
If you report your car as stolen immediately to police, there's a better chance it will be recovered. In fact, according to NICB data, 35% of recovered stolen vehicles are recovered on the same day as the theft, and 45% are recovered within two days. Reporting the theft to law enforcement also provides you with a record to show to your insurer -- another place you want to report your stolen vehicle to immediately -- providing information as to where it was located, what you found at the scene (broken glass on the ground for example) and approximate time it could have been stolen. Oftentimes insurers will need the police report before honoring a claim. They may also ask if you gave your key to anyone else, perhaps a repair shop.
What does this process look like?
You will provide information such as the make/model of the car, color, license plate number as well as the car's VIN. The VIN can be found with your insurance documents such as the policy or on the Proof of Insurance card (which could be a physical card or on an app on your smart phone). Also, let the police know if there is a GPS system on the car. The process for filing a stolen vehicle report to your insurer could be over the phone, online, or even direct to your insurance agent as companies and processes vary.