BRUNSWICK, Ohio — It is a crime that has happened in dozens of communities across Northeast Ohio. There has been a noticeable uptick in car thefts and car break-ins, according to police.
“A lot of times they’re crimes of opportunity to where people are leaving key fobs in the car, garage door openers in unlocked cars and they’re opening garages and going into houses,” said Brunswick Police Officer Brian Mummert.
Now, the Brunswick Police Department is trying to put the brakes on this trend. Last week, the department started sending alerts to lock it, hide it and keep it.
The alerts are being sent on Ring, Next Door, Twitter and Facebook. It is called the "9PM routine."
“We’re going to do it for 14 days to get people in the routine, “explained Mummert.
It is a simple reminder that police are hoping will have a big impact. “It’s a reminder, it’s 9 o'clock, check your doors make sure you have your keys, secure your house before you head to bed for the night,” added Mummert.
It is too early to tell if it has had an impact yet in Brunswick, but according to other police departments, it has worked in other cities including North Miami, where the program started.
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