Four vehicles were broken into and one was stolen just west of ACU’s campus, near Lincoln Drive, according to ACU Police Department’s Lt. Randy Motz. The burglaries are believed to have occurred Sunday, sometime after midnight in the early hours of the morning.

None of the break-ins were forced, as all of the vehicles were unlocked. This is rather common, as 82 percent of car burglaries in Abilene occurred because a car was left unlocked. Typically, very few have windows broken or are forcibly entered, Motz said.

Items stolen on Sunday included valuables such as golf clubs, sunglasses, an iPod Touch and a wallet with credit cards inside. The vehicles may have been targeted due to having an ACU sticker because burglars suspect electronics, such as computers and iPads, are inside.

The stolen car has yet to be found. ACUPD conducted the preliminary investigation, but has since handed the case over to the Abilene Police Department because the incident occurred off-campus. The vehicle’s information, including description, license plate number and VIN number, has been entered into a nationwide database, the National Crime Information Center. Through the NCIC, officers throughout the state and country can run a plate and identify the vehicle as stolen.

Overall, the number of break-ins on campus have been low. The best defense against having items stolen is to lock your vehicle and take any valuables inside, Motz said.