3 SUVs Stolen From Westlake Homes: Police

WESTLAKE, OH — Three vehicles stolen from Westlake driveways were recovered last week, police announced.

On Tuesday morning, North Olmsted police chased two stolen SUVs. Later that morning, a third SUV was found to be missing in Westlake.

In all, police said, two vehicles were stolen from Tricia Drive homes, while a third was stolen from Woodpath Trail. All of the SUV owners had left their keys in their unlocked vehicles overnight, accidentally, police said.

One of the stolen SUVs was found on Woodpath Trail. The other two missing SUVs were found in Cleveland, police said.

Investigators are now pulling evidence from the SUVs to try and develop suspect profiles, a Westlake police spokesperson told Patch.

Starting in September 2020, Cleveland's western suburbs saw a surge in thefts from unlocked and stolen vehicles. The suspects all targeted cars that were left unlocked overnight.

Residents can follow simple, commonsense tactics to protect themselves, police said:

• Park your car in a garage, if you can
• Lock your car overnight
• Don't keep car keys inside your car
• Don't keep valuables inside your car
• Contact police if you see someone suspicious in your neighborhood, particularly if they're prowling around between 2 a.m. and 6 a.m.