LINCOLN CITY, Ore. -- There has been a rash of burglaries in Lincoln City the last few months. Many of the burglarized homes were vacation rentals, and in some cases they were ripped off twice in 24 hours.
Police say 42 properties have been ransacked in the last 60 days. That is a 20 percent increase from the same time frame last year.
“It is very brazen,” said Lincoln City Police Detective Bud Lane.
Lane says some homeowners had just fixed their doors, only to have them kicked open hours later.
“They probably didn't get everything they wanted the first time or they saw what they wanted and went back to get more property,” said Lane.
Lane says the burglaries are all over Lincoln City, but rentals near the beach are the most targeted.
Recent crime scene photos show doors broken in, screens popped off, and TVs set outside to be picked up later.
“There have been some residences that have had enough property stolen they couldn't do it by foot or car they would need a truck of some kind to get the property out of there,” said Lane.
Detective Lane says rental companies that post signs outside of their houses were hit more often than others. He says police have increased patrols in the hardest hit areas. He recommends rental home owners invest in security systems, strong locks, and video surveillance equipment.