The Sammamish Police Department arrested 21-year-old Chase Dunkel June 1, after linking him to numerous vehicular smash and grabs throughout the city in May.

Police received 57 reports of smashed windows and stolen property, including four in Klahanie, involving more than 70 vehicles, between May 19 and May 30. Of those, Dunkel has been linked to 17 incidents.

“We got hit hard,” Chief Nathan Elledge said.

Officers recovered at least $60,000 in stolen property at Studio 6, a hotel in Mountlake Terrace, where the man was staying, Detective William Albright said. Police had served a search warrant on the hotel room and the suspect’s car June 1.

Dunkel, listed as a Snohomish County resident, is currently being held at the King County Jail facing several felony charges.

He has also been linked to crimes in unincorporated King County and surrounding areas, like Redmond, Elledge said.

“This is not just a Sammamish thing,” Elledge said.

While car prowls and larceny are common crimes in Sammamish, these incidents stood out due to the physical damage the suspect caused, Elledge said.

The naturally trusting nature of Sammamish residents, who often leave their vehicles unlocked with personal items in plain view, puts them at risk for these types of crimes, Elledge said.

“It’s just inviting someone to do something,” he said. “Theft is on the rise.”

There was nearly a 50 percent increase in thefts throughout the city between 2013 and 2014. There were 277 incidents reported last year, whereas there were 186 reported in 2013, according to the chief. These statistics include all forms of theft, not just car prowls.

The department does not have a tally for theft in 2015.

Elledge suggests people remove their valuables from their vehicles or at least remove valuables from plain sight. If residents hear a car alarm or see something suspicious, don’t ignore it, he said.

For an emergency or on-going incident call 911.

The non-emergency dispatch line is 206-296-3311.