MOBILE, Ala. — Mobile police are investigating a series of thefts tied to break-ins on Foxland Drive.
About 11:20 a.m. Wednesday, officers responded to the 7200 block of Foxland Drive regarding a report of a break-in in progress. Officers arrived and determined that an unknown man had stolen items from two vehicles.
Linked to a Previous Day
Police later discovered that the suspect was the same man who broke into a camper at the location and removed property on Tuesday, authorities said.
Police also said a car hauler stolen from the location was found in the 7000 block of Cook Avenue.
A Suspect Who Came Back
The detail that distinguishes this case from routine vehicle burglary is the return visit. A suspect who breaks into a camper on Tuesday and returns to the same block Wednesday is not opportunistically passing through — he has assessed the location and decided it is worth a second trip.
Law enforcement guidance on property crime consistently identifies this pattern. Locations that produce a successful theft frequently see a repeat within days, particularly when the first entry revealed additional property, weak lighting, limited visibility from neighboring houses or an absence of cameras.
For residents of a block where a break-in has occurred, the practical implication is that the following night carries elevated rather than reduced risk.
The Car Hauler
The recovery of a stolen car hauler in the 7000 block of Cook Avenue — a short distance away — is consistent with a common pattern in trailer theft. Large towable equipment is frequently moved a short distance and left, either because the thief lacked a destination or because the item was taken to access what was on or in it.
Trailers and haulers are attractive targets because they can be hitched and removed in under a minute, they carry no ignition to defeat, and in most cases no one notices a vehicle towing a trailer down a residential street.
Protecting Vehicles, Trailers and Campers
Law enforcement guidance for preventing this category of theft is straightforward and inexpensive:
- Lock vehicles every time, including in a driveway during the day. The substantial majority of vehicle burglaries involve unlocked vehicles.
- Remove valuables rather than concealing them. A bag pushed under a seat is still visible to someone looking through a window.
- Use a coupler lock on trailers and haulers, and a wheel lock or boot for items left for extended periods.
- Photograph and record serial numbers, VINs and identifying marks. Recovered property cannot be returned to an owner who cannot identify it.
- Maintain exterior lighting and trim landscaping that blocks street visibility of a driveway.
- Report break-ins even when the loss is small. A single report of a minor theft is what links a pattern like this one together.
The Investigation
The suspect has not been publicly identified and no arrest has been announced. The investigation remains open.
Anyone with information about the Foxland Drive break-ins is asked to contact the Mobile Police Department. Tips may also be submitted anonymously through Mobile County Crime Stoppers.