Yet another vehicle was reported stolen Tuesday night in what is becoming an all too familiar scenario for Selma car dealerships.

This time the break-in occurred at a lot used by Peoples Bank on Broad Street. One vehicle was reported stolen, and two other vehicles were reported to have been broken into.

All three vehicles, which had been repossessed, belonged to Peoples Bank, according to Jeff Harrison, a loan collector for the bank.

Harrison said the burglars climbed a fence and, after stealing the vehicle, knocked over the gate, leaving it lying in the middle of an alley between Broad and Washington streets.

Harrison said that police did not notice the gate until Wednesday morning after the break-in had occurred.

A similar incident occurred Friday at Bama Motors, located a block away near the intersection of Broad Street and Jeff Davis Avenue,

where three vehicles were reported to have been stolen.

The gate in front of that dealership also was knocked over during the incident and left lying in the street after the break-in had occurred, according to Bama Motors manager Russell Hardy. Hardy said that police patrols failed to notice anything amiss there also.

Other break-ins, in the same general area, also occurred Friday at River City Motors and at George’s Paint and Body Shop, where two vehicular radios and several tires were reportedly stolen.

James Smitherman, the manager at River City Motors, said that the

recent break-ins have become a major problem for businesses in the area, a problem which he feels police need to address immediately.

“I really think the police need to start beefing up their patrols in the area, and making sure that there are people there at night who are aware of what is going on,” he said. “Right now, we are just not receiving adequate police protection, and it causing a major problem for everyone in the area.”

Selma Police Chief Robert Green said that one patrolman, who was on duty Tuesday night, reportedly had to respond to several incidents throughout the night and early morning. He agreed, however, that other patrolmen should have been more aware of the incident.

“We are working with all of our officers right now, and we are making sure they are better prepared to handle any other such incidents in the area,” Green said.

He also noted that the three vehicles stolen from Bama Motors were recovered by police.

Green said that while the department would focus more on crime in the affected area, he said the key to catching more criminals is focusing on the recipient of the stolen merchandise.

“Once we figure out who is receiving the stolen property, we can then have a much better chance of catching those responsible for the crime,” Green said.

He added that the department had caught several perpetrators of crimes, through focusing on those who receive stolen property.

The Selma Police Department is currently understaffed. Green said that until the department is able to hire more officers, the best solution to stopping crime in the area is to use the manpower that the department currently has as efficiently as possible.

Robert Jacobs, assistant police chief at the department, also said that patrols would focus more on crime in the affected area.

“We have told our officers to be very watchful at all times, and I am confident that we will catch those who are responsible,” he said.