Last week was a great week for the cops and a bad week for vehicle burglars, according to Rapid City police Sgt. Pete Ragnone.

Two car burglary rings were identified and warrants issued for the alleged ringleaders and their teenage associates, Ragnone said.

Car burglaries spiked last week as opportunistic thieves took advantage of cars left unlocked at night, Ragnone said.

"Last week, detective Don Hedrick was the busiest person on the floor," he said. Hedrick has done an outstanding job investigating car burglaries, Ragnone said.

The investigation of vehicle burglaries in the Mall Ridge area led to the recovery of a rifle valued at $3,500.

Everett Elk Boy, 21, of Rapid City, and a 16-year-old male juvenile were arrested in connection with the rifle theft and at least four other vehicle burglaries.

Elk Boy is charged with possession of burglary tools, vehicle burglary and grand theft. Police suspect Elk Boy of taking a 1998 Buick Century that was left with the keys in it, Ragnone said.

Arrests also were made in the burglaries of five to eight vehicles in south Rapid City.

Cyrus Alton Condon, 20, is accused of hiring two 16-year-old boys and paying them in cash to break into cars.

Condon is charged with conspiracy to commit vehicle burglary and receiving stolen property, Ragnone said. The juveniles will be charged in juvenile court.

In unrelated incidents, 15 cars in two north Rapid City mobile home parks were hit by thieves overnight Aug. 1-2.

Ragnone said suspects in those burglaries have been identified, and police are looking for them.

Ragnone estimates the total loss of items at between $5,000 and $10,000, and victims are still coming forward.

"Generally, over 90 percent of vehicle burglaries are unlocked cars, Ragnone said.

Less than half of the taken items from vehicles wind up in pawn shops, but many are still found in the thieves' possession or some place else, Ragnone said.

"A lot of vehicle burglars are too young to pawn," Ragnone said. Items such as iPods and stereo equipment are usually sold or traded on the streets.

Meanwhile, the Pennington County Sheriff's Office is investigating two reports of criminal entry to vehicles in Rapid Valley that occurred overnight Monday. Both vehicles were parked relatively close to each other.

Contact Andrea Cook at 394-8423 or andrea.cook@rapidcityjournal.com.