CANTON, Mich. – Police in Metro Detroit are investigating five car break-ins over the weekend at indoor sports complexes in Canton and Wixom.
Officials haven't officially connected the break-ins, but it raises red flags that two indoor soccer facilities jam-packed with cars were targeted around the same time. Police said two of the break-ins were in Wixom and three were in Canton.
There might have been more of the cases, and there could be more to come as the holidays approach, police said.
"It's a crime of opportunity," said Patti Esselink, of the Canton Police Department.
Two car windows were smashed between noon and 2 p.m. Saturday at Total Sports in Wixom. About an hour later, three more cars were hit at the High Velocity Sports Complex about 25 minutes down the road in Canton.
"Laptops, cellphones, purses, wallets (were taken)," Esselink said.
The stolen items were left in plain sight, which can be an easy mistake to make for parents jugging children.
"It's easy just to leave your bag and run in and get your kids," Nancy Perri said.
With holiday shopping to be done, multitasking mothers could be considered easy targets by thieves.
"There's High Velocity and then there's Target and Kohl's, and all those stores," Perri said. "So it's easy to drop the kids, go shopping, get a coffee and come back, and it's easy to leave your bag."
Along with sports complexes, police said they see car break-ins at movie theaters and the gym, where thieves know people would prefer not to bring bags inside.
"They could be watching you, and they know they have an hour or so to use the things they're going to take from you," Esselink said. "So take it with you."
High Velocity sent out an email Wednesday alerting visitors about the break-ins. The email said thieves went right down Michigan Avenue hitting different businesses.