KENNEWICK, Wash. – According to the Kennewick Police Department, Kennewick has seen a large uptick in vehicle prowls over the last two weeks.
KPD says Kennewick residents have experienced over 48 vehicle prowls over the last 21 days, with nearly half occurring in the last seven days.
The trend of high rates of vehicle prowls and thefts is not limited to Kennewick, as Washington is the third ranked state in the nation with the state seeing around 604 vehicle thefts per 100,000 residents, according to a report from the National Insurance Crime Bureau.
The rate of vehicle thefts in Washington is trending upwards as well, with the NICB reporting that 2021’s theft rate was around 511 thefts per 100,000 residents, an increase of almost 100 in per 100,000 residents in a single year.
The City of Richland is also seeing increased vehicle prowl numbers. The Richland Police Department says there were 31 reported prowls in 2022 and 18 in 2023.
So far in 2024, Richland has seen 24 cases.
To prevent vehicle prowls, KPD recommends for residents to remove their valuables when not near the vehicle, keep it locked, park in a well-lit area, activate car alarms and to never leave a key inside the vehicle.
RPD recommends the same, noting that the uptick in vehicle prowls comes from people leaving cars unlocked and leaving valuables inside.
KPD urges residents to call 911 if they see someone believed to be vehicle prowling.
