Nine vehicle break-ins reported in Palo Alto

PALO ALTO, Calif. -- Police are investigating nine vehicle break-ins that occurred Tuesday night in Palo Alto.

Police said the vehicle break-ins occurred between 6 p.m. and 10 p.m., and most were reported in the downtown area.

Three of the break-ins occurred on the upper floors of City Parking Garage R at 528 High St., and four occurred in the downtown area on Webster Street, Hamilton Avenue, University Avenue and Lytton Avenue, police said.

The other two break-ins occurred on El Camino Real.

In each of the cases, burglars smashed windows to remove backpacks, bags or briefcases left inside the vehicles in plain view, police said.

Electronics devices including laptops and tablet computers were stolen in eight of the break-ins.

Seven of the nine vehicles targeted were rental cars, police said.

There have been 65 auto burglaries reported in Palo Alto this year, police said.