Since many 'non-essential' businesses have been shuttered due to the COVID-19 situation, police around the area say there's been noticeable increase in commercial break-ins.

With a few exceptions, most of the burglaries have occurred at 'non-essential' businesses that are closed TFN.

Kennewick Police even referred to it as a "spike" in commercial burglaries. They also say during times like this, when people are experiencing financial issues, they sometimes turn to burglary to try to get their hands on items they can sell at pawn shops or fence on the 'black market.'

This also includes numerous online for-sale sites, such as the ones you see on Facebook.  Police are spending a lot more time searching these areas, comparing them with police reports listing what items have been stolen.

Patrol units have been beefed up, you may have noticed an increase in patrol units around the area, not just in Kennewick.

Police also encourage people who are still working at 'essential' jobs or still traveling around to keep a close eye for suspicious activity--not the kind Gov. Inslee was talking about--but obvious signs of people trying to break in, etc. and report it.

Police didn't offer any specific statistics as to how many more commercial burglaries have been reported compared to prior to the COVID issue.

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