WATERLOO -- A couple in Waterloo is raising awareness about the number of break-ins to vehicles happening in the region after someone smashed their passenger window.

Ronald and Shirley Levene spent much of Wednesday cleaning glass from their driveway and calling a repair company to fix the window of the vehicle.

“When I came out yesterday morning I saw glass shattered all over our driveway. I noticed that one of the windows was smashed in one of our cars,” said Ronald.

Levene is not sure why the vehicle was targeted, but there was a $20 bill on the passenger seat that was taken.

Levene says typically the vehicle is kept inside the garage, but it is being used for other items right now, which is why the car was sitting out overnight.

“We just have to be careful to make sure the cars locked and not to leave valuables visible in the car,” said Ronald.

Waterloo regional police said in an email that the service has received 1,944 reports of thefts from motor vehicles up until the end of last month. The average number of thefts from vehicles during the same time span is 1,764, so 2021 has seen 180 more incidents than the average for this time in the year.

“This is nothing unusual and we’re here on behalf of everyone else who got their cars broken in to,” Shirley said.

According to the company fixing Levene’s window, the shop deals with at least a couple vandalized car windows this week.

“We’re told there’s either a rock or a brick thrown through, or there car was broken in to to steal like what happened to Shirley here, like $20,” said Chad Hughes, with All-Brite Glass & Tint.

A similar situation happened to Michelle McPhee’s son. When he went to leave for work on Friday, he noticed his drivers window had been smashed.

“Shocked and hurt. You feel like your privacy has been invaded,” McPhee said.

McPhee said this was the first time something like this has happened and now the family will try to keep the car in the garage.

Both McPhee and Levene checked with neighbours to see if there was any security camera footage, but so far have not been able to locate any video.

PREVENTING THEFT FROM VEHICLES

Police are reminding drivers that valuables, like phones and cash, shouldn't be stored in vehicles or should be hidden. People should also park their vehicles in well-lit and secure areas whenever possible.

As for preventing theft of the vehicle itself, police warn against leaving a vehicle running and unlocked.

REPORTING THEFTS

Anyone who has been victim of a theft from their vehicle under $5,000 can file an online report to police. The online form can also be used for vehicle damage under $5,000 not caused by a collision and theft of licence plates.

Anyone who observes suspicious behaviour, should call police immediately.