City leaders address recent uptick in car break-ins

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) – City leaders addressed a string of car break-ins around Milwaukee on Friday.

"Just because there hasn't been an arrest made to date doesn't mean that there won't be arrests made," Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson said.

Mayor Johnson was joined by the Milwaukee Police Department and Common Council President Jose Perez on Friday to discuss the increase in car break-ins plaguing the city. While MPD said there have been no arrests made in connection to the recent incidents, Inspector David Feldmeier assured the public the department is working hard to curb these crimes.

"There are multiple different venues that officers are using. Whether it's on bike, foot, or squad patrol. There may be officers that you don't see that are in plain clothes. There is a lot of work being done and you're not always going to see all of it," he said.

According to MPD, there was a 31% increase in auto entries between July 17 and Aug. 15. The number rose from 307 to 403, an increase of 96 reported car break-ins in less than a month.

The sharp incline is alarming city leaders and Mayor Johnson said once arrests are made, he plans to call on strict accountability for the perpetrators, who are often minors. Because victims are reporting the suspects are young people, Johnson said parents need to do their part to help stop these crimes.

"The very first part of this parenting, it's parents. Before these kids [and] know that not every single incident is a young person, but when it is, when it is, we've got to make sure that when they leave the house that they know better," Mayor Johnson said. "You cannot offload your responsibility as a parent to society."

If you are the victim of a crime or witness one, you are urged to call 911, the non-emergency line at 414-933-4444, or Crime Stoppers at 224-847-8477.