Parking-meter thieves grab coins in Bethesda, Silver Spring

Dozens of parking meters were smashed open this week in Bethesda and Silver Spring by thieves who made off with the coins inside, Montgomery County police said.

A total of 69 meters were cracked, apparently with a heavy object that broke through the meters' outer casings and revealed the inner coin cans, police said.

They said they think the thefts took place between Sunday and Thursday during the overnight hours.

No figure for the amount of money taken was immediately available, but with the cost of meter repair or replacement at about $250, the damage could be more than $15,000.

Sixteen of the meters were found to be broken Wednesday in county parking lot 24 in the 4600 block of Leland Street in Bethesda. Break-ins were reported the day before at a dozen meters in county lot 3 in the 8200 block of Fenton Street in Silver Spring.

Police said they had no description of suspects, but they asked motorists to watch for suspicious activity near meters.

The police also asked to hear about people "with unexplained large amounts of coins."