An unsolved series of August vehicle break-ins in University Park has left residents and police with lingering questions.
Over the month of August, the University Park Police Department received 34 burglary of motor vehicle reports, according to crime statistics on the city’s website.
That total is 161.5% higher than the number of burglary of motor vehicle reports made in August 2025, when there were 13 reports, according to the statistics.
In August 2024, there were nine burglary of motor vehicle reports, according to the city’s crime statistics. August of 2026 is the most recent month for which the city of University Park has published crime statistics.
The University Park Police Department has requested that residents share any information as well as doorbell camera or surveillance footage they may have in connection with a string of burglary of motor vehicle reports Aug. 15-17 between Stanford Avenue and Southwestern Boulevard.
University Park Police Chief Bill Mathes said no arrests had been made in connection with those vehicle break-ins as of Sept. 25. He encouraged residents with any information to share it with police.
“The City of University Park periodically experiences increases in certain types of offenses, including burglary of motor vehicles. In addition to officers conducting proactive, visible patrols in commercial and residential areas, we regularly encourage residents not to leave items of value inside their vehicles at any time,” City of University Park community information officer Paige Ruedy said in a statement. “We haven’t identified a specific factor driving the recent reports.”
Residents with any information about the burglary of motor vehicle reports are asked to email [email protected].
Highland Park has also seen an uptick in burglary of motor vehicle reports year over year. The Highland Park Department of Public Safety took 39 burglary of motor vehicle reports in August of this year. In August of 2025, the HPDPS reported 14 burglaries of motor vehicles.
Author
