DELHI TOWNSHIP, Ohio — A rash of car break-ins in Delhi Township led to yet another gun getting stolen from a car, one arrest and a teen on the run, police said.
The theft spree comes two days after Cincinnati police provided an update to city council indicating gun thefts had skyrocketed year-over-year to 645 stolen in 2023 with roughly 70% of those coming from thefts out of cars.
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Delhi Township police said they initially got a report of two people breaking into cars near 5400 Cannas Drive and, while searching the area, another call came in from Revmal and Gennenbill Drive.
Police found the suspect's vehicle and stopped it.
An unnamed 17-year-old ran from the car and got away while police took 21-year-old William Smith into custody and charged him with attempted theft, theft and possession of criminal tools. Theft-related warrants are being drafted for the juvenile.
Lt. Joe Macaluso said it wasn't difficult for the thieves to enter vehicles in the area.
"What they ultimately did was go to unlocked cars and broke in the cars and took everything of value," Macaluso said.
Police discovered a fully loaded stolen gun in the car that could be traced back to a parked car the pair visited Wednesday morning.
Macaluso said that was a perfect example of why people shouldn't leave guns in their cars.
"Ideally we would have you not leave your firearm in the motor vehicle," he said. "If you are going to have one in there, we'd have you put it in the trunk where it's not easily accessible."
Macaluso said they've got several "unique" items they recovered from Smith that could be identified by victims and returned.
He urged anyone from West Delhi to give the police department a call if they believe their car had been broken into with something valuable taken.
