Brookline Police Release Video After Spate Of Car Break-Ins

BROOKLINE, MA — Police are asking for the public's help in tracking down the person responsible for a series of car break-ins on Eliot Street in the Clinton Road neighborhood this month.

On Thursday, police released footage from a resident's home security camera, which captured a car break-in on March 3, on Eliot Street.

In the video you can see a person wearing a light colored hooded sweatshirt and a dark backpack waking into the driveway, checking a car door, finding it locked and then walking down the driveway to another car. The person tries the passenger side door to see if it's locked. The door opens and, you can see him leaning into the car, and he appears to rummage in the front seat area for several moments before getting out and quietly closing the door and walking off.

Police said someone matching the person caught on video's description was seen in the area just four days later and a nearby home security camera shows him attempting to get into a car near 500 Clinton Road around 1:15 a.m. The clothing description given by a caller on that date was a black jacket with stripes, a backpack, a and hooded sweatshirt.

The thief appears to be targeting only unlocked cars, according to police who issued a warning.

Police said there have also been reports of attempted and actual car break-ins on Buckminster Road, Middlesex Road, Eliot Street, Beacon Street this month.

"We ask you to stick to the #9PMRoutine: make sure your doors are locked and your valuables are out of sight," police posted to social media.