BONNEY LAKE, Wash. — A string of car break-ins in a Bonney Lake neighborhood is raising concerns.
Two car prowlers driving a white SUV targeted five houses on the same street on the same night. The crimes were caught on various home security systems, but the presence of cameras didn’t seem to bother the suspects, who proceeded to open car doors and raid each vehicle one by one.
Social media sites for the Tehaleh neighborhood have been helpful tools for neighbors like Satina Simeona to stay up to date on the latest local updates and share urgent information.
Simeona lives on the street where the five car break-ins occurred. The prowlers ended their raid shy of Simeona’s house at her next-door neighbor’s. At the request of her next-door neighbor, Simeona and her husband posted the security footage of the break-in, hoping to spread awareness.
“I mean, the fact they’re not worried about getting caught or not worried that someone’s going to be seeking out after them, yeah, that’s unsettling just knowing people are just so much more brazen,” said Simeona.
Unfortunately, the break-ins on this street may not have been the only ones last week. According to a couple of reports on Ring.com, in nearby neighborhoods within Tehaleh, the same crime with similar suspect descriptions was posted on the same night. Surveillance video showed some similarities.
KIRO 7 contacted the Pierce County Sheriff’s Office to inquire about these incidents and whether any of the victims may have filed a police report. We have not yet heard back from the agency.
While car-related crimes have been an ongoing issue and topic of conversation across western Washington, in this East Pierce County neighborhood, some adverse side effects from auto crimes could affect any insurance holder, even if they are not a victim.
Satina Simeona, who also owns American Family Insurance in Bonney Lake, tells KIRO 7 News that locally, “There has definitely been an increase in claims for not only car thefts but vandalism.”
Since 2023, auto insurance rates have increased by 20% nationwide.
But for areas or even certain types of vehicles deemed “high risk” due to the increased chances of something happening in the area or to the car, insurance agencies will increase rates to compensate for the risk.
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