Merrimack Valley

Five car breaks reported on Methuen's Union and Arnold streets

By Jim Patten
Staff writer
Published: August 21, 2008

METHUEN — Thieves rifled through five vehicles and stole a GPS, iPod Mini, a diamond wedding band and money, police said.

The breaks occurred in the Union and Arnold streets neighborhoods in the central section of the city. Three of the vehicles were parked in the same driveway.

According to police, the owner of a Nissan Quest reported that her car had been broken into while it was parked at her home on Union Street. She said $10 was missing and the contents had been rifled through. She made the report at 8 a.m.

At 9:45 a.m., police were called to a second Union Street address, where the owner of a 1999 Toyota Tacoma said her truck had been entered during the night and money was stolen.

At 10:10 a.m., a resident on Arnold Street reported three vehicles — a 2006 Honda CR-V, a 2002 Ford Focus and a 2004 Mercury Mountaineer — had been broken into during the night. She said many items, including a GPS, diamond ring and iPod, were stolen from the vehicles.

There were no signs of forced entry into any of the five vehicles, police said.

Capt. Thomas Fram reminds people to lock their doors, activate alarms, if they have them, and most important, do not leave valuables in their vehicles.

"It has to be kids in the neighborhood. They go by the car, try the door handles and if a door opens, they take what they find inside," Fram said.