Already 500+ cars stolen in Tri-Cities this year. And the number is growing

When Stephanie Clinton walked out of her door to head to work, she discovered someone had driven off with her car.

“I’m very frustrated,” she told the Tri-City Herald. “I still have to be an adult. I still have adult things to do like go to work.”

Clifton’s 1994 gold Honda Accord is only the latest in a growing number of stolen cars in the Tri-Cities.

Police agencies across the region and the state are sounding the alarm about the spike.

Cars are being stolen at a rate of up to four times higher than last year.

In Kennewick, 210 vehicles were stolen between January and March — up from 41 during the same months last year.

Richland has seen a similar increase with 96 thefts since the start of the year, compared to 25 the year before.

And Pasco has seen 208 thefts, which Sgt. Rigo Pruneda said is higher than normal.

That puts the Tri-Cities far ahead of a recent report issued by the Washington Association of Sheriff’s and Police Chiefs.

The association reported that the state is on track to see more than 50,000 vehicles stolen compared to 31,000 last year.

The association believes the increases are linked to legislation last year that limited some law enforcement tactics, including restrictions on chasing suspect vehicles. Still others say it’s prevented deadly and dangerous chases that endanger the public.

Lives disrupted

Another big concern is the impact and disruption to the lives of car owners, say police.

“Each of these alarming numbers represents a victim, and victims of auto theft too often are those who can least afford it — with older cars with fewer anti-theft systems, with less insurance coverage, and with greater impacts on their lives,” Steve Strachan, the WASPC association’s executive director, said in a news release.

Kennewick police said they’re seeing similar problems.

“People are adversely affected in the daily living of their lives, which include activities like going to work, taking kids to school, caring for other family and friends and other important daily activities,” said a Kennewick release.

This is true for Clifton, a caregiver, who is trying to start a doula business. Both jobs require her to travel. She was heading to Prosser on Tuesday morning when she found her car missing from in front of her home.

She’s been able to borrow a car for now, but it wasn’t a permanent solution.

Many of stolen cars are soon found abandoned, but they’re littered with drug paraphernalia that makes them unsafe to use, Kennewick police said.

From neighborhoods

Clifton’s experience is similar to others in another way. Most of the cars are stolen from residential neighborhoods. In her case, it was taken from her 27th Avenue home sometime between 3 and 5 a.m.

Cars like hers, a 90s Honda or Toyota, are among the favorites for car thieves. While Clifton was aware of the statistic, she wasn’t concerned at the time.

Hondas from the 90s were some of the last that didn’t come equipped with anti-theft devices, making them easy targets, according to the Honda of Seattle blog.

But many other types of vehicles are stolen too.

In February, a Ben Franklin Transit van was stolen and the driver ran a red light at 10th and Olympia streets in Kennewick, causing a 5-vehicle crash. And while no one was seriously hurt, three cars were damaged beyond repair.

And in March, police were chasing a suspect who stole a Buick and then a Subaru, which crashed, as he tried to flee from officers in Kennewick.

Social media is filled with people sharing similar tales, and asking people for help finding their cars.

In many cases, owners left their cars running to warm up or car doors unlocked. The thieves use the easy opportunity to grab the car.

Locking your car, removing valuable and not leaving it running unattended topped the list of tips from police to avoid having it stolen or prowled.

They also suggested:

▪ Park in well-lit areas

▪ Install an audible car alarm

▪ Be aware of what is going on in the neighborhood

“It takes all members of the community to reduce crime and contribute to safer neighborhoods,” said Kennewick Chief Chris Guerrero.