SAGINAW TOWNSHIP (WJRT) -
(08/09/12) - Car break-ins are a big problem for any community.
In Saginaw Township, they are cracking down on the crimes with a "Lock It or Lose It" campaign.
It's helped reduce car break-ins, and they gave thanks to one resident who helped in the arrest of three people.
"We want our public to report suspicious activity," says Chris Fredenburg of the Saginaw Township Police Department.
Saginaw Township's "Lock it or Lose it" campaign encourages people to remove valuables from their cars and trucks, lock their doors, and if you see something, say something. Kirk Fritz said something to a 911 dispatcher Tuesday morning.
"It was 20 after four. I was walking out to my car, and these kids must have seen me getting into my car," Fritz said.
He saw them getting into a car at his apartment complex.
"They had jumped into a car that I knew the guy who owned it," Fritz said.
After making that phone call to 911, police arrived a short time later, and arrested three suspects. They were found with some electronic gadgets that may have been taken from cars. Fredenburg says if Fritz hadn't made that call, the police would have received a bunch of calls hours later.
"We would have been responding to the aftermath, the cars that were broken into when the victims woke up and were heading to their jobs," Fredenburg said.
And because he made that phone call, this was no ordinary day on the job for Fritz.
"When you make that phone call, you give us a lot of authority to take action," Saginaw Township Crime Prevention Officer Henry Reyna told Fritz's co-workers.
Saginaw Township Police officers came to Glastender in Kochville Township where Fritz works to give him a few gifts and recognition for calling in a tip that may have prevented a new wave of car larcenies. Fritz is glad he helped, and hopes the notion of neighbors looking out for neighbors makes a comeback.
"Back when I was growing up, you had people that are always looking out for other people's kids in the neighborhood, it seems to be lost lately," Fritz says.
Saginaw Township Police report that car larcenies are down 50 percent since 2010.
The three suspects in the car break-ins will be formally charged Thursday.
