Police warn of car break-ins outside downtown haunted house

SALT LAKE CITY — For anyone visiting a haunted house Friday night, you could come back to a scary sight. Salt Lake City Police said there’s been a recent rash of car break-ins outside the Fear Factory downtown, and they don’t want you to be a victim.

So, to make sure it doesn’t happen to you, police have some advice, and Fear Factory is offering an alternative.

“Since September 1, we’ve seen right around 20 car burglaries in that area,”  Dalton Beebe, a detective with the Salt Lake City Police Department, said.

The break-ins have been taking place all along 800 South 600 west. Police and the Fear Factory are both concerned about it.

“We take it seriously. We want everyone to have a good time, and everything to be safe while they’re here,” Rob Dunfield, co-owner of Fear Factor, said.

To eliminate worries about cars parked there, they offer a free zombie shuttle bus that picks people up every 30 minutes from the south end of the Gateway Mall, so people can park in the Gateway parking garage instead, without worry of a break-in.

“That’s something we’ve done to try and eliminate some of the street parking and make it more convenient for people,” Dunfield said.

Haunted house car burglaries haven’t been citywide. Nightmare on 13th has its own parking lot and has been break-in free.

“We have paid parking attendants on staff every night, on patrol in the parking areas and monitor everything. That’s why we have over 80 cameras on our entire property,” Jake Mabey, general manager of Nightmare on 13th, said.

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Wherever you’re seeking a scary night out, police said it’s smart to take precautions. Police said always lock your car and keep valuables out of plain sight.

“Don’t leave your keys inside the vehicle, windows are rolled up, and if you see anything suspicious give us a call,” Beebe said.

Police said overall car break-ins are down citywide, compared to 2023. So, to address the spike over the last few weeks, police are stepping up patrols to make sure the only thing to be afraid of is what’s inside the haunted house, and not where you leave your car.