Lincoln Police are stressing the importance of locking your vehicles and not leaving valuables inside, including guns. From January 1 to November 21 Public Information Officer Erika Thomas says 130 guns have been stolen across Lincoln compared to 126 in all of 2023.
“47 of the 130 guns were stolen from vehicles, with almost 94% of those vehicles being left unlocked.” That’s up from roughly 70% in 2021. “Less than 25% of guns stolen from vehicles so far this year have been recovered, but those that have include one recovered at the scene of a homicide in Omaha and one recovered in a stolen vehicle.”
“So there is evidence that some stolen guns are being used to commit additional crimes,” Thomas says. With the weather turning colder, Thomas says you may be tempted to let your car warm up in the morning.
“Please do not leave a running vehicle unattended, locked or not, and do not leave your belongings inside.”