Amherst police are urging residents to lock their vehicles and check home security cameras after a sharp rise in car thefts across the town.
As of early August 2025, 144 vehicles have been reported stolen, according to Amherst Police Captain Christopher Meyer. That figure is already more than half of last year’s total, 283 cars were stolen in 2024.
“In the past, they might’ve just taken property left in the car; now they’re taking the car itself,” said Meyer.
WATCH: 'If you see something, say something': Amherst police warn of rising car thefts
The problem isn’t new, but police said the scale of thefts is growing. 2023 marked the highest number of reported vehicle thefts in recent years, with 306 cars stolen.
One Amherst resident, David Morales, experienced the threat firsthand. Nearly a month ago, he said two individuals approached his driveway around 3 a.m. and attempted to enter his vehicles.
“They were checking our cars," Morales said. "Our motion-sensing lights tipped them off, and they went scurrying from that."
Fortunately, his keys were not inside the car, and it wasn’t stolen, but the incident left him and his family shaken.
“We’ve got a young family, and to wake up and see something like that happened overnight, it’s a very vulnerable feeling,” he added.
Meyer said many of the vehicles stolen this year were left unlocked, and in some cases, the keys were still inside.
“Never leave your keys in the vehicle for any reason, and make sure your vehicles are locked when parked in your driveway,” he said. “We’ve noticed a lot of these stolen cars had the keys left inside, sometimes accidentally, sometimes intentionally.”
Police are also encouraging residents to check their home security footage and share anything suspicious with authorities, even if nothing was taken.
“If you see something, say something,” Meyer said. “Camera footage can be helpful not just to you but to your neighbors as well.”
Morales said the community looks out for one another, but added that thefts can happen quickly.
“It only takes a couple of seconds for someone to walk down your driveway and check your car,” he said.
Police continue to investigate theft patterns in the area and are reminding residents that prevention starts with small steps: lock your car, remove your keys, and stay alert.
