East Charlotte residents take precautions after car thefts

CHARLOTTE — Residents in a neighborhood off Eastway Drive are fed up with their cars being broken into and/or stolen.

So, they are taking action to protect their property after a handful of vehicles were stolen last week.

East Charlotte resident Rebecca Sargent’s surveillance video caught thieves breaking into her Kia Soul, and she is now on high alert, again.

“My car was stolen in July. It took about three months to get it back,” she said.

The Kia was fixed but is damaged again.

Someone broke into the Kia at 1:15 a.m. Monday at an apartment complex on Citiside Drive, she said.

“I’ve lost lots of sleep in the last week because I didn’t think they’d come back but they did,” Sargent said.

Neighbors are sending each other videos in hopes to prevent someone else from being a victim, she said.

She will continue to take extra precautions until the thieves are caught and put a Club, an anti-theft device, on her steering wheel.

“It gives me a piece of mind knowing they can’t take it,” Sargent said.

Cameras also caught thieves smashing the window and driving away in Jarvis Brown’s Hyundai Elantra on Friday.

“I actually couldn’t believe it,” he said. “That it’s broad daylight and you just go into break somebody’s car and takeoff.”

Police said someone found the abandoned car 2½ miles away.

Brown said the thieves tossed the child’s car seat and other items.

I just can’t believe it to be honest,” Brown said. “I can’t believe that people are willing to take from someone who’s worked hard to get what they have.”

The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police told the city council Monday night that eight out of 10 cars stolen last year were Kias and Hyundais.

Investigators blame a TikTok trend for the spike.

CMPD recommends following Sargent’s advice and buying a Club for your steering wheel.

Drivers should also park in well-lit places.

VIDEO: TikTok trend blamed for uptick in car thefts in Charlotte, CMPD says

TikTok trend blamed for uptick in car thefts in Charlotte, CMPD says

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