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QC Police Teaming Up to Curb Car Theft

QC police officials at a news conference for "Lock It Up" campaign Friday, April 7.
Sam Dunklau/WVIK
Davenport Police Chief Paul Sikorski at a press conference Friday, April 7.
Credit Sam Dunklau/WVIK

Police are asking for the public's help in preventing car theft in the Quad Cities. 

Today law enforcement officials from both sides of the river launched a campaign called "Lock It Up" reminding local residents to lock their cars.

Davenport Police Chief Paul Sikorski says 750 cars have been stolen since the beginning of last year.

"Most stolen vehicles have been easy targets -- cars left running, unattended, cars unlocked with keys in the car, whether they're in the ignition or hidden somewhere in the car."

Sikorski says most of these car thefts have been committed by kids age 11 through 17. 

Bettendorf Police Captain Keith Kimball says that's dangerous. 

"To me it's almost like giving a loaded gun to an irresponsible person. These are thousand pound vehicles running around in our city, and understand there's no accountability, there's no connection. When they have a stolen vehicle, it kind of gives them some anonymity."

The Lock It Up Initiative asks residents to lock their vehicles, take their keys with them, and not leave anything valuable in plain sight. 

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I am currently a senior at Augustana College, majoring in Multimedia Journalism and Mass Communication with a minor in Creative Writing. I serve as the General Manager for WAUG.fm, Augustana's online student radio station and have worked as an intern and DJ at Studstill Media Group. I report on local news for WVIK and am honored and excited to be a part of the news team. I hope to pursue a career in radio broadcasting and an eventual master's degree in English or Communications.