Car Break-Ins Overland Park: Reaching Nearly 100

Police are searching for a suspect or suspects who damaged vehicles in Overland Park near 138th and Metcalf last Thursday and Friday. Investigators say that, unlike most car burglaries, thieves did not search for unlocked cars. Instead, they smashed their way inside each vehicle.

Dozens of victims woke up to find shattered glass and their vehicles rummaged through at several gated apartment complexes and a senior living community that has controlled access.

“It was a gated community,” Brandon Pilialoha said about the damage to his car. He came outside to leave for work and realized that someone had targeted his vehicle. “I saw glass shattered and everything,” Pilialoha said.

Police answered dozens of calls from numerous victims who discovered their vehicle windows had been damaged.

“We had 93 cars broken into,” John Lacy, a public information officer with the Overland Park Police Department, said. “They went to each window and knocked it out.” Pilialoha’s vehicle was damaged along with others parked in the same gated apartment complex.

“They went straight for the glove box,” Pilialoha said. “Everything out of the glove box was taken out. I had some clothes and shoes and other valuable things in the back, but it looks like that wasn’t even looked at.”

Pilialoha said some victims are concerned that documents with personal information were stolen from their gloveboxes or consoles. In one example, the owner of a car next to him informed him that his title had been taken.

The Overland Park Police Department is asking anyone with information regarding this incident to contact them. They recommend locking car doors and, when possible, parking in well-lit areas.

“We are working with officers and detectives to see if we can get any type of suspect information,” said Overland Park Police Department spokesperson Officer Lacy. “We believe that these break-ins happened in the early morning hours, so we are increasing patrols and asking the community to report any suspicious activity to the Overland Park Police Department.