Dallas residents are speaking out about the surge in vehicle break-ins and thefts across the city, claiming the Dallas Police Department (DPD) has failed to respond adequately.
A Dallas resident posted on the Ring Neighborhood app a video of an attempted car burglary in the Lower Greenville area, showing a man approach a truck’s front door and try to open it before leaving, according to posts reviewed by The Dallas Express.
“Same guy, tried to break into my car again last night. I’m so sick of it. DPD notified they do not care,” stated the post.
Many other neighbors shared similar frustrations about rising vehicle crimes, claiming DPD has refused to take meaningful action to stop the problem.
“My car got stolen from Doce Mesas parking lot on Wednesday,” one resident wrote. “Police said over 100 cars were stolen this month in central Dallas, but they can’t do anything.”
“DPD is awful. They won’t show up for anything,” another added.
Other residents described similar experiences with the department’s lack of response.
“I literally had my car stolen last month. It was found the same day, but I wasn’t notified for three weeks. My investigator never called me — DPD indeed does not care.”
One resident even accused the department of manipulating crime statistics and ignoring calls, though these claims have not been verified.
“DPD doesn’t show up because they would have to file a report and that would mean admitting that crime is high. As a newcomer we are appalled by how bad city services are overall. Trash everywhere, horrible roads and THIS. We pay astronomical property taxes, among the highest in the country and for what?” they wrote.
While residents report ongoing break-ins, city data suggest vehicle-related crimes have actually declined this year. According to the Dallas City Data Crime Analytics Dashboard, there have been 8,691 auto-related offenses in 2025, down from 11,544 during the same period in 2024 — a 24.7% decrease year-over-year, per the City of Dallas dashboard.
Source: Dallas City Data Crime Analytics Dashboard / City of Dallas
Even with the drop, these crimes still account for over 12% of all reported offenses citywide, underscoring how pervasive the issue remains for many neighborhoods.
The outcry comes as DPD continues to struggle with a major officer shortage, despite a voter-approved ordinance requiring the city to maintain minimum staffing levels.
Proposition U, approved by Dallas voters in 2024, mandates that DPD maintain at least 4,000 sworn officers and meet standards for total compensation, as previously reported by The Dallas Express.
Although the Dallas City Council has approved more hiring and pay increases, there is still a significant gap between the mandate and current staffing levels.
City leaders have not yet outlined a clear plan for meeting Proposition U’s requirements, leaving residents uncertain when — or if — DPD will reach full staffing levels mandated by voters.