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Caught on camera: Man seeks unlocked cars in Avon

AVON, Ind. (WISH) — Neighbors are double-checking their locks after reports of thefts from vehicles in the Avon Trails neighborhood.

Reports on social media said someone was trying vehicle doors to see if they could steal something from unlocked ones. Some residents said this practice is not anything new for Avon Trails. The neighborhood is off Ronald Reagan Parkway near East Hendricks County Road 100 North.

In surveillance footage from Thursday, someone walks past a group of cars but circles back a bit later to check the car doors and take a look at what they can find inside.

“In our house alone, we’ve had at least two, maybe three, where it was mostly the car’s unlocked, guy will come through, open the car door, rifle through the things, whatever he can get, and then leave stuff that he’s not worried about, and then takes off again,” Todd Chestnut said.

But because incidents such as this have been increasing over the past couple of years, neighbors said, they’ve learned to lock up at night.

“That’s the last thing we do,” Chestnut said. “If anything, that’s the biggest thing because most of these guys, they’re going through, they’re lifting the handle up, they’re seeing if there’s anything worthwhile. It may not even hit you, but they’re definitely going to try to open your car. If they open your car, you’re fair game.”

Neighbors said Avon Trails is not going downhill, but more and more houses seem to have “for rent” signs on their lawns. With the higher turnover of neighbors, some said, it can be hard to keep track of everything going on in Avon Trails.

“I would just make the observation that it seems like the neighborhood has a disproportionate amount of rental units in it, perhaps with people that are not committed to the neighborhood,” Danna Shirley said. “So perhaps letting a few things slide, that if they would just pay attention and take some action, probably could be alleviated pretty fast.”

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