Every spring this area sees a big up tick in car break-ins. Every year. Cars are broken into at night and in the daylight, downtown and in Forest Park and in neighborhoods. You can predict this by the thermometer, when the weather turns mild, the thieves roam.
Last week a couple from Hawaii visiting the Arch had their car hit at noon. The husband was a veteran who had his uniform, medals and every bit of Afghanistan stolen from their vehicle which was parked in a tended lot. The police were not much help, telling them "this happens all the time." In fact car break-ins downtown are up ten percent over last year.
What's interesting is the question the wife asked, "Are there cameras anywhere?" The answer was from the police was, no. The woman then said, "I was shocked. If it happens all the time you haven’t gotten any cameras yet?"
Here's the frustrating thing. Cars are being broken into all over St. Louis, some the other night in our neighborhood. Like most cities, St. Louis has traffic cameras everywhere, we're watched at every intersection and highway. But where crime is known to be constant and in big numbers there are no cameras?
We're great at apprehending the average driver who doesn't stop completely before turning right on red, but we don't bother with thieves who practically own downtown St. Louis?