One wallet, five cell phone-wallet combos and 10 other cell phones were stolen. Most of these items were taken from parade-goers’ back pant pockets or coat pockets. Many of the victims reported that they felt someone touch them, but it was crowded, and they didn’t see anyone stealing anything. The stolen phones are long gone. We’ve pinged some of them in Maryland, Arkansas and Oklahoma.
There also were 12 cars broken into during the time of the celebration – with eight of them in the area of 19th to 22nd Streets, Paseo to Holmes. That’s where several rally-goers parked.
Criminals are opportunists. They see a large gathering of distracted people as the perfect chance to make off with some valuable property. And while Kansas City might not host such a large-scale event until next year (fingers crossed!), we have still have several sizeable gatherings coming up soon such as the Big 12 Men’s Basketball Tournament and the St. Patrick’s Day Parade.
Kansas City loves to host events like this, but we need everyone attending to do their part to make them safe and successful. Make yourself and your property unappealing to thieves. Keep your phone and wallet on your person where you can see them. Don’t leave anything of value in your vehicle. Don’t leave your vehicle running unattended. Doing those things could prevent crimes not just at big events but would eliminate thousands of crimes in our city year-round.
The weather will soon be getting warmer, which means more and more people will be heading out to the fun gatherings and events that make Kansas City such a great place to live. You won’t be able to enjoy those outings, however, if you come home to stolen property, so take a minute before you go to ensure all your things are secure.
Send comments to: kcpdchiefblog@kcpd.org.
