Thieves Make Easy Pickings Of Unlocked Cars In Western Springs

(CBS) -- Thieves stole everything from electronics and money to cars earlier this week in Western Springs, and surveillance cameras caught some of the break-ins.

CBS 2's Charlie De Mar reports.

The victims are all what police are calling easy targets, with cars left unlocked or garage doors left open.

At least a dozen car break-ins occurred overnight Monday.

"The glove compartment was completely torn apart," Kelley Pohl says.

There were several cars hit on her block, including her family car.

"It sounds like several of the vehicles, the cars were unlocked," she says.

Police in neighboring Hinsdale responded to 15 calls of car break-ins in recent weeks. The method was much the same.

"A lot of times, these thieves will see these cameras on the house, and they will just keep on walking because they don't want to be on camera," says Mike Konaszewski of Audio Video Interiors.

In September, a rash of cars were stolen from wealthy suburbs and then taken to Chicago and used in violent crimes -- everything from shootings to drug deals

"Our kids play outside in the dark at night and now we're just a little more cautious right now," Pohl says.

Police in Western Springs aren't going as far as to say these recent car burglaries are connected to that luxury car theft ring linked to Chicago.