Friday the thirteenth, a day of mischief and bad luck, could leave you without some important items. Photo taken by Sara Ottomano.

By Sara Ottomano
Friday the thirteenth, a very superstitious day known for mischief and trouble, became more serious this November because of several car break-ins that occurred during the night. Eight break-ins on Pond Street, School Street, Stewart Street, and Stonegate Road were reported to the Hopkinton Police.  The stolen items amounted to petty thefts, but the incidences have changed the way the Hopkinton Spring residents protect their cars and the valuable items inside them.

According to the Hopkinton Police Log, written by Eric Montville, the day started at 6:12 am on Friday, when “Officer Campbell responded to Stonegate Road [in order to] take two reports of motor vehicles that were broken into over the night.” The day continued with Officer John Moran responding to three Pond Street reports and one Stewart Street report involving the breaking and entering of vehicles. At 8:21 am, “a caller from School Street reported that their vehicle was broken into. Officer Griffin responded and took a report.” Officer Campbell estimated that the break-ins occurred between 11 pm and 7 am.

According to Officer Campbell, one of the police officers to respond to the calls, the stolen items included, “five dollars in loose change, an ipod nano, ipod accessories, two packs of gum, chapstick, an ipod shuffle, a GPS, and a wallet containing credit cards, a debit card, a digital access key card, and twenty dollars in cash.” The break-ins were unprofessional jobs that appear to have been done by kids just trying to get cash fast.

There was no damage to the cars, indicating that the thieves only targeted vehicles that were easy to get into. It is believed that this is the reason behind the number of break-ins; all the vehicles were unlocked when they were broken into. Although the objects stolen may seem insignificant, the idea that people are breaking into cars during the night in a normally quiet neighborhood has alarmed some residents, as well as raised awareness about how to safeguard items. Many have started to lock their cars and houses more religiously in order to prevent  any future thefts of potentially more significant items. One anonymous victim has even decided to keep their car locked at all times. To prevent future break-ins, all other residents have been warned by the Hopkinton Police in a Public Safety Announcement that residents should “remove all personal items from your vehicle… lock your vehicle… turn on any motion activated outside lights, [and] If you observe any suspicious activity, immediately call the Hopkinton Police at 508-497-3401. For emergencies, dial 911.” The motion lights “draw attention to the houses so the police officers on patrol can see any movement that could possibly be suspicious,” stated Officer Campbell.

In order to catch the thieves, a combination of “good police work and dumb luck” must be used, said Officer Campbell. In this case and other theft cases, the online site “Craigslist” and pawn shops are being looked over by police to try to find the stolen items. At this time, the police have not found the thief or thieves, so any information on break-ins or suspicious behavior should be reported  to the police immediately.

For more information about how to contact the police or for more information, visit http://www.hopkintonpd.org/index.htm.