by: Amanda Gomez
WACO - Local used car dealerships say they're under attack and losing thousands of dollars everyday.
Dealerships up and down Franklin Avenue in Waco say for months thieves have been hitting their lots late at night. The crooks apparently take anything from TVs inside the cars to the entire cars themselves.
"There's no fear in these people. They don't have any fear of apprehension they just come and go as they please," cried Richard Goswick, owner of RG's Used Cars.
Byron Jackson is one of the owners of Quality Cars and Richard Goswick owns both Dick's Auto World and RG's Used Cars.
Both men say they are just two of the dealerships being hit by the thieves. The burglars have supposedly knocked off a number of dealerships including, Toby's Autos, Purple Gorilla Motor Company and Cash and Go Auto Sales.
"All the guys on Franklin we're sick of it, you know, getting hit," said Byron Jackson, spokesperson and co-owner of Quality Cars.
Goswick also told News Channel 25 the burglaries started in January where they would get hit up maybe one a month or twice a month. However, Goswick says now they are being burglarized on a weekly basis and sometimes twice a week.
Both Goswick and Jackson say the thieves are also starting to target catalytic converters so they can sell the metal inside for some quick cash.
"They crawl under the car, cut off the catalytic converters and that takes a lot of time. It's getting to be a real expense item plus a huge inconvenience and we just feel totally helpless," said Goswick.
That's why the group of dealers decided to get together and pay for their own personal security to patrol the lots of each dealership late at night.
"Beware, Beware, there's going to be security people here," warns Jackson.
Waco Police spokesperson, Sgt. Patrick Swanton, says they are aware of the problem and it has been going on for some time now. Sgt. Swanton told News Channel 25 the police department is doing what they can but the dealerships are just too enticing to the thieves.
He also says they have done a number of things in the past to try and catch the crooks, but they can't do it alone. That's why they appreciate any help the dealerships can give them in fighting this and the public can also do their part by reporting any suspicious behavior late at night.
