Over the last four nights, between Saturday 18th and Tuesday 21st, over five cars in Crookesmoor have been found broken into with smashed windows, leaving shattered glass littering the streets.
Students reported to Forge Press that four cars had been smashed on Crookesmoor Road alone, with further incidents reported on Conduit Road, Harcourt Road, and Marlborough Road.
Locals told us that SatNavs and other belongings were stolen from some of the cars on Crookesmoor Road.
One resident who had a car break-in directly in front of his home, said it was unusual for the area:
“I’ve lived here for four-to-five years and this is the first I’ve seen of this. We had our bike stolen recently, but you don’t really expect this.”
South Yorkshire Police has been approached for a comment on these break-ins.
Forge spoke to a student who learned about the break-ins from coursemates. The student remarked:
“University is already expensive. I don’t want to be worried about having to pay to replace my car window. I don’t have the money for it, nor do any of my friends who have their cars at university.”
This surge in car break-ins follows increased crime rates in Broomhill, Crookes, Crookesmoor, and Broomhall over the summer months, according to the South Yorkshire Police website.
Between the months of June and August, 136 burglaries and 147 vehicle crimes were investigated in student areas.
One student shared their experience of having their house broken into during the summer:
“I was at home over the summer, only to come back to see friends and find our house had been burgled. It’s distressing, I feel scared to be home alone at times.”
Another student added:
“You are always warned about burglaries and break-ins as a student. It’s happening a lot more now. First, it was friends’ houses, now it’s cars on my road.”
It remains unclear whether the owners of the damaged cars have reported the incidents.
