Myrtle Beach police combat car break-ins

City cameras watching over many local beach accesses has pushed car break-ins away from the shores and more into the city, police said.

“We, in years past, have had a problem with break-ins at the beach accesses, but we have to give the cameras credit. They have been a great asset for us and a deterrent to prevent that from happening at the beach accesses,” said Lt. Joey Crosby with the Myrtle Beach Police Department.

Auto burglary is a crime that typically spikes in the summer months as the population surges, but since the cameras were installed last summer they’ve seen less of that crime, Crosby said.

“Once we put up the cameras and we made it known that’s why the cameras are there, we have seen a decrease [in beach access car break-ins],” said Crosby.

As the crime has gone down at the accesses, it surged last month in various locations across the city, Crosby said.

There were 34 auto burglaries reported in one week during late July at various spots around Myrtle Beach, including about 15 in area at The Market Common, according to Myrtle Beach police.

Last year, 53 auto burglaries were reported from June 26 through Aug. 6, 2015, Crosby said.

“A lot of times as you get proactive addressing crime, it’ll move from place-to-place, and that’s why there needs to be community involvement,” said Crosby.

He said that community effort means police, residents, visitors, and businesses working together to address issues.

Of the 34 car break-ins reported in one July week, 19 of those break-ins involved thieves riffling through unlocked cars, and five handguns were taken during the incidents, police said.

Residents and visitors can do their part by remembering to lock doors and not leaving valuables in view, Crosby said.

Heroin usage is an epidemic throughout the Grand Strand, which also feeds into the number of auto break-ins occurring, and Myrtle Beach police and other area officials will address the issue head-on at a community meeting at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday at the Base Recreation Center at 800 Gabreski Lane in Myrtle Beach, Crosby said.

“We have individuals addicted to that narcotic who then use means to try to get it so they can feed that addition, so you’ll see an increase in crime such as shopliftings and car break-ins,” said Crosby.

Police began doing extra patrols in certain areas to crack down on vehicle break-ins, and also took to social media to warn the public and offer safety tips to help residents and visitors from becoming victims.

While police saw a wave of auto break-ins in July, so far in August they haven’t seen as many, Crosby said.

He is featured on a short safety video addressing the burglaries offering preventative measures.

Police also took to social media and posted other warnings about the break-ins in an effort to minimize them.

The Myrtle Beach Police Department released a video last week on beach safety and plans to feature another soon on back-to-school traffic safety tips.

The videos are released on the department’s Facebook page and feature different officers, which is a way for the police to inform the public as well as familiarize them with different policeman, strengthening the bonds between officers and the public so they have a face and a name if they see that officer out on patrol, Crosby said.

“That’s our goal is for citizens to feel more comfortable and increase that interaction on a positive level,” said Crosby.

The Myrtle Beach Police Department has also taken to releasing monthly crime statistics to inform the public of any current crime trends.

“It’s accurate information that shows exactly what is happening that we want the community to be aware of,” said Crosby.

It allows people to see what kind of crime is happening in their community and that awareness allows them to take the steps they can to stay safe, Crosby said.

“It’s all part of us working together. It’s truly a team effort for us to combat crime in our city,” said Crosby.

This story was originally published August 12, 2016 at 4:47 PM with the headline "Myrtle Beach police combat car break-ins."