Attention St. Charles: Burglaries on the rise

A recent spike in burglaries prompted St. Charles police Wednesday to put residents on alert.

Since Dec. 23, there have been six reported vehicle and home burglaries, which "may be tied together," in the city's northeast and northwest areas, police spokesman Paul McCurtain said. The incidents all took place in the morning or early afternoon, while the victims were away.

"In some cases, the offenders have forced entry into the residence," police said in a statement. "In others, the suspect made entry into vehicles parked in the driveway and have taken personal items," including garage door openers to get inside houses.

Residents are asked to keep their vehicles locked and personal belongings out of plain view. They also should call 911 immediately if they notice suspicious activity.

Callers should try to give as detailed a description as possible of suspects and vehicles.

"In some cases, citizens have observed suspicious behavior but didn't call the police until hours later, or sent e-mails to neighbors instead," police said.

The department's non-emergency phone number is (630) 377-4435.