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Kent County deputies address surge in vehicle thefts

Kent County Sheriff's Office 05212023
Posted at 2:54 PM, Aug 15, 2022
and last updated 2022-08-15 15:03:44-04

KENT COUNTY, Mich. — Deputies say they’ve responded to five complaints regarding stolen vehicles in Kent County this weekend.

The Kent County Sheriff’s Office says thieves made off with four of those vehicles.

We’re told the Grand Rapids Police Department recovered a Hyundai that was reportedly stolen out of Gaines Township.

Another car was stolen from a construction site on the north side of the county, as was a motorcycle in a separate incident, deputies say.

“Overall this year for the Kent County Sheriff's Office, we've taken 217 stolen-vehicle complaints,” says Sgt. Eric Brunner. “The same time frame last year, we're up about 12% this year in our stolen vehicles overall.”

Roughly 100 of those stolen vehicles were Kias and Hyundais, Brunner adds.

When asked about why there is a surge in vehicular thefts, Brunner said it’s difficult to settle on a concrete answer.

“That's a complicated answer, as a lot of factors that go into that,” he explains. “Whether people talk about the pandemic, or overall the general trend in the rise of crime, that's a difficult thing. But we really need the community’s support in this because us, the government, the sheriff's office isn't going to solve the problem. So, communities make communities safe.”

Brunner says it helps to report anything suspicious, as it can be difficult to track down the culprit otherwise.

Additionally, Brunner recommends all motorists to lock their cars and park them in a closed garage or well-lit area when not in use to reduce the risk of theft.

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