When a Western Springs resident received a call from the Western Springs Police Department informing her that her car, which was stolen the morning of Oct. 17, had been recovered in Chicago, she was surprised that the one item left in it was her son’s favorite baseball glove.

“He’s a really avid baseball fan and I guess finding his glove is one positive you could take from the whole situation,” the resident, who wished to remain anonymous, said.

Between 10 p.m. on Oct. 16 and 7 a.m. on Oct. 17, 12 motor vehicle burglaries and one stolen automobile were reported in the northwest section of Western Springs, according to the Western Springs Police Department Crime Alert.

Although no suspect has been named, Jenny Data, a Western Springs resident whose car was broken into the morning of Oct. 17, caught the burglars on video, she said. The camera footage from her garage captured five African American males breaking into her car.

“The detective that I gave the footage to traced stolen credit cards to a Walmart in Indiana,” Data said. “They needed my footage to match the people from the surveillance cameras in Walmart to the burglaries in Western Springs.”

Both Data and the other resident of Western Springs reported that the Western Springs police did not do much to follow up with them on the investigation.

“It seemed like the police got what they wanted and left,” Data said. “I’m o.k. with that because this wasn’t a violent crime, but I would like to know if any progress was made. I don’t know if I’ll ever actually know what happened.”

The same concern is expressed by the anonymous Western Springs resident.

“To be honest, the police’s communication with everyone involved was awful,” she said. “I think that they’re just really understaffed.”

Western Springs Police Deputy Chief Brian Budds said that the police carry out thorough investigations and extensive follow-ups, and that the police have continued to heighten their presence throughout the town since the recent burglaries.

“These were crimes of passion,” Budds said. “They’re very hard to predict, and it’s difficult with the limits of our force to maintain that heavy presence seven days a week 24 hours a day throughout the whole town.”

Nevertheless, the Western Springs Police Department remains on high alert and urges citizens of Western Springs and neighboring towns to remain aware of this issue, he said.

“A vigilant and informed public is our best defense in stopping these recent cars being entered,” Kevin Simpson, Hinsdale Police Chief, said in a press release.