Tri-Cities thieves taking advantage of Washington’s stay-at-home closures

Thieves emboldened by quiet streets in the Tri-Cities are breaking into more homes, garages, cars and construction sites.

The Franklin County Sheriff’s Office, Richland, Pasco and West Richland police joined Kennewick police in reporting an increasing number of thefts that appear to be linked to measures aimed at slowing the coronavirus.

In northern Franklin County, deputies are seeing a spike in the number of home break-ins, officials said in a Facebook post.

In many cases, thieves are finding the keys inside owners’ vehicles and using them as their getaway cars. Many times the vehicles are found later stripped of tools and the other valuables.

“Most of these burglaries, to be honest, would not occur if you all would harden the target,” the sheriff’s office said in the post. “Crooks don’t like to work for their ill gotten gains.”

Deputies suggested people lock their doors and windows when they leave the house, turn on alarms and cameras and lock up valuables, such as jewelry and guns.

Richland police are seeing a slight increase in break-ins and thefts, mostly at halted construction sites and construction-related businesses, said Sgt. Drew Florence. Crooks are breaking in and grabbing tools and equipment, then fleeing.

With many construction areas closed down, thieves are seeing them as an easy target, Florence said.

Kennewick police continue to see a similar uptick in the number of businesses being burglarized in areas left quiet because of coronavirus closures. Two of the break-ins have resulted in arrests.

Police agencies stepped up patrols around the businesses criminals are targeting, and they are encouraging business owners to keep an eye on their property and to make it hard for crooks to grab it.

Washington-based Wyze is offering a limited number of free surveillance cameras. Small business owners can sign up at www.wyze.com/together for a camera, according to a Kennewick police post.

Pasco and West Richland police are seeing an increasing number of car prowls. They are suggesting people to take their valuables out of their cars and lock them up.

West Richland police arrested two people connected with the series of recent car prowls.

All of the agencies say to call 911 if you see someone committing a crime or call 509-628-0333 if they see something suspicious.