PITTSBURGH \u2014 Pittsburgh Police are ramping up patrols in a local neighborhood after several cars were ransacked. <\/p>\n
Video captured by home surveillance cameras and posted to social media shows a group of people checking for unlocked cars in Mt. Washington. <\/p>\n
The videos were all taken overnight. <\/p>\n
One man told Channel 11 he\u2019s been a victim and this type of thing happens all the time. <\/p>\n
\u201cYou wake up in the morning and your car is ransacked,\u201d Mike Ciak said. \u201cIt\u2019s always in the Fall. It\u2019s always in the Spring.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cMy work truck, to be honest with you, I had $1,400 worth of batteries in a bag. They went through everything else,\u201d Ciak said. <\/p>\n
Another neighbor says she takes extra precautions.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe catch it on our Ring every so often, checking doors,\u201d Sophie Parr said. <\/p>\n
She uses something called a \u201cFaraday Box\u201d to store her keys at night. This type of box is designed to block wireless signals that can be used to get into locked vehicles. <\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s a measure I obviously don\u2019t want to have to do but it\u2019s simple enough. It is frustrating.\u201d<\/p>\n
We reached out to Pittsburgh Police. A spokesperson told us they are aware of thefts linked to car break-ins over the past two weeks, and they plan on ramping up patrols in the area. <\/p>\n
In the meantime, neighbors say they\u2019ll keep looking out for each other and locking their car doors. <\/p>\n
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