Smash-and-grab thefts plaguing Pittsburgh neighborhoods

A car break-in is a relatively common crime, but the way it’s happening has some residents in Squirrel Hill concerned.

11 Investigates dug through crime reports from Pittsburgh Police Zone 4, which covers the city’s eastern neighborhoods. Those reports show a growing number of car windows being smashed in the middle of the day.

A dozen incidents happened in Squirrel Hill just within the last month.

“This morning I came down and there was glass. I cleaned up the glass on the street to try to keep it safe for the people and dogs that walk by here,” said resident Neil Kossis.

The glass is from two car break-ins that happened just feet away from his Reynolds Street home. Police paperwork Channel 11 obtained shows two purses were stolen.

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Pittsburgh police post crime reports weekly on each zone’s Facebook page. Over the last month, Channel 11 found the method of choice to break in to a car in Squirrel Hill is by smashing a window.

What was surprising was when those crimes are occurring.

Since April 11, there have been a dozen car windows smashed on Squirrel Hill streets like Reynolds, Panther Hollow Road, Beechwood Boulevard and Schenley Drive. Eleven of the 12 crimes happened during daylight hours, between 2 and 6:15 p.m.

We found similar trends in Oakland, Regent Square and Point Breeze.

It's a reality that's already hitting close to home for residents like Kossis.

“It's unusual and it's very concerning that people aren't afraid of getting caught doing what they are doing,” he said.

Cox Media Group