Auto burglaries are on rise on Jacksonville's Northside

Police urge residents to lock their doors and keep an eye out

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – There has been a spike in the number of car burglaries during daylight hours along Hecksher Drive on the Northside.

In all the cases of auto burglaries, the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office reports the vehicles were locked and the thieves broke windows to steal items. But there are other times when owners simply forget to lock the doors to the vehicles and with thousands of extra people in town for the Georgia-Florida football game and Blue Angels air show, officers are reminding everyone to lock their vehicles and conceal any valuables left behind.

Fishermen could also be targets of burglars. Several cars were broken into during the day along boat ramps and public access sites along Hecksher Drive.

"I have heard from other fishermen and people at the stores that there have been break ins and stuff, and people have warned me not to keep things in the vehicle and keep an eye out for suspicious activity," said resident Edward Gabany. "I come out here and fish."

Gabany said he spends most of his time fishing and he's careful not to leave anything too valuable behind.

"My rule of thumb is if I can’t have it with me, I have some sort of lock or something to keep someone from just picking it up and walking away," Gabany said.

Just east from where Gabany and many other boaters park their trucks to launch their boats is a popular restaurant. An employee who didn't want to be identified told News4Jax they've dealt with burglary, too.

"One of our co-worker’s car got broken into in the parking lot as we were working one night. She clocked out, went to her car, and one of her windows was broken into."  

He added that the best way to fight back against this type of crime is to say something if you see something suspicious, and keep an eye out for one another.

Anyone with any information on the auto burglaries is urged to call the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office at 904-630-0500.


About the Authors:

Zachery “Zach” Lashway anchors KPRC 2+ Now. He began at KPRC 2 as a reporter in October 2021.