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CRIME March a banner month for Medford car thieves Comment By Ryan Pfeil Mail Tribune MailTribune.com By Ryan Pfeil Mail Tribune Posted Apr. 2, 2015 at 4:30 PM Updated Apr 2, 2015 at 5:02 PM By Ryan Pfeil Mail Tribune Posted Apr. 2, 2015 at 4:30 PM Updated Apr 2, 2015 at 5:02 PM --> BY THE NUMBERS Vehicle thefts in March: 29 Recovered: 25 Stolen while warming up: 4 Stolen with keys left in car: 3 Stolen with hidden ke... » Read more X BY THE NUMBERS Vehicle thefts in March: 29 Recovered: 25 Stolen while warming up: 4 Stolen with keys left in car: 3 Stolen with hidden key: 2 » Social News Car thieves in Medford stole almost a car a day in March, and police say in many cases the crooks didn't have to work very hard because the keys were right there. Some people left keys in unlocked vehicles, others left hide-a-keys that weren't hidden very well, and others had the car running and all warmed up for thieves on chilly mornings. Cassandra Brainerd, one of 29 people who had a car stolen last month, got her ride back, but it was hardly reason for celebration. Her 2003 Toyota 4-Runner sustained heavy damage to both ends, with scratches in the roof lining and food and trash littered throughout. "Once they got it, they completely trashed it," said Brainerd, 28. "The amount of damage done to the vehicle was unreal." The thieves used her hide-a-key to steal the vehicle. Brainerd said she has since had to backtrack and change a lot of personal information. The vehicle was totaled, and she has been driving a rental until a replacement can be found. Brainerd said she lives in a nice neighborhood and was stunned at the theft, especially because it was pulled off with something that's supposed to be an emergency safeguard. "Nothing like this has ever happened around here," she said. "I find myself making sure that my car is locked. I'll hit (the remote on) the rental car like seven to eight times a night making sure it's locked. I do not want this to happen again." Police say hide-a-keys, considered a valuable backup by many vehicle owners, may be a liability. "They've never really been a bad idea until this spree," said Medford police Lt. Mike Budreau. "A lot of these suspects are finding them pretty easily. We are now advising against the hide-a-keys." Car thieves stole 15 cars in January and 17 in February, so March's total nearly equaled those two months. "We think it's going to be the work of one very active individual, or perhaps a group working together," Budreau said. "That's going to be responsible for the spike." Police called a majority of the cases "crimes of opportunity," in which thieves did not target specific vehicles, but rather found cars that were unlocked, bearing a key, or both. In the case of several stolen Honda vehicles, police say it's possible the suspects could have keys that work in multiple cars. "The '90s model Hondas have keys that are interchangeable," Budreau said. Most of the cars stolen last month have been recovered, and most were found in the city, but some were found as far away as Josephine County. In several of the cases, property such as clothing, paperwork and electronics were taken. Some of that property has turned up in other recovered vehicles. Though most of the vehicles have been recovered relatively intact — not including the pilfered stereos — some, like Brainerd's, are trashed, with garbage, bloody clothes, cigarette butts and smoke residue left behind. Some areas just outside the city have also had problems with car break-ins recently, police said. Earlier this week, the Jackson County Sheriff's Department reported two break-ins and a failed attempt in the 7800 block of Jacqueline Way in White City. Crime Stoppers has offered a $1,000 reward for information leading to arrests in that case. On Monday, Central Point police reported four break-ins in the 1000 block of Crown Avenue, with two others reported on Crater Lane Avenue and North Fifth Street. See where cars were stolen across Medford in March. Reach reporter Ryan Pfeil at 541-776-4468 or [email protected] . Follow him at www.twitter.com/ryanpfeil . By Ryan Pfeil Mail Tribune MailTribune.com By Ryan Pfeil Mail Tribune Posted Apr. 2, 2015 at 4:30 PM Updated Apr 2, 2015 at 5:02 PM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... 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