Madison police warn of thefts after two cars stolen per day during January

MADISON, Wisc. — The wave of car thefts in the Madison area continues to rise, with almost two vehicles stolen each day during the month of January. Police say they expect more car thefts to come.

Madison police continue to urge residents to lock their car doors. Almost all of the 56 car thefts have been in residential neighborhoods and the vehicles were left unattended, unlocked, and running.

Some officers don’t know what else they can do to get the message across.

“It’s a bit frustrating that we’re continuing to see this crime trend skyrocket,” said Joel Despain, Madison Police Department public information officer. “We know that we can prevent it by simply locking our doors.”

“It’s not like they’re walking by your house. They’re driving by your house in a stolen car,” he added. “They see your car is in the driveway, unoccupied. One of them is going to jump out of the stolen car they’re in and steal another car.”

There is some talk of having extra patrols out during the morning hours to check for cars that could be potential targets, but the Police Department doesn’t have the resources to cover the entire city.

Police say this crime wave is more than just cars getting stolen. Most of the offenders in these cases are teenagers who don’t know how to drive, and it’s only a matter of time before someone gets hurt or killed.

“It’s a real danger,” Despain said. “It’s like a loaded gun out there on the street, with someone who doesn’t know how to operate a vehicle.”

Police say they know who many of the thieves are and have arrested them in the past. Repeat offenders continue to steal cars, and it’s only a matter of time before they strike again.

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