Safety Tip – Stop making it so EASY!

Safety Tip – Stop making it so EASY!

One of the most frequent calls the police get on a daily basis is the theft of property from cars. Purses, wallets, laptops, just about anything. Thieves wander through parking lots during the day and neighborhoods at night looking into cars for something to steal. It doesn’t matter where you live, thieves are everywhere. Stealing is their job; don’t make it easy for them. Thieves see something inside a car that they want and they will try the doors. If it’s unlocked, your stuff is gone in about 5 seconds. If the door is locked and it’s something the thief still wants, he’ll break the window and your stuff is still gone in seconds. Laptops, wallets and purses are the biggest target for thieves. Never leave a purse or wallet in your car. I’ve seen thousands of dollars in fraudulent charges made within an hour of a purse being stolen with the charges being made before the victim even knew the purse was missing.    

Thieves rarely break into a car just to see if there is something inside. If a car is unlocked, they might rummage through the car or the ashtray looking for change. If the car is locked and the thief does not see anything inside, they usually just go on to the next car looking for something to steal. Thieves usually break into cars only when they see something they want. You might leave a book bag or a backpack in your car because it doesn’t contain anything valuable, but to a thief, it could be a laptop or something of value inside. Don’t take a chance; it’s not worth losing your stuff, becoming a victim of identity theft or the hassle of replacing a broken window just because you left something in your car.

• Don’t leave anything in view in your car. If you must leave something in your car, at least lock it in your trunk or out of sight.  
• NEVER leave a wallet or purse in your car. Identity theft is the fastest growing crime and it can take years to straighten out your credit. Thieves will steal a purse or wallet in seconds. If you must leave it in your car, at least lock it in your trunk.    
• ALWAYS lock your car, even if you just run into a store for a minute. Lock your car even when it’s parked in your driveway.  
• Even if something is not very valuable, don’t leave it in plain view. It may not be of value to you but a thief may break in thinking it is valuable.
• Don’t leave garage door openers clipped to a car visor or door panel. Thieves look for the “telltale” clips and break into cars, using the openers to open the garage door during the night. Or they save the garage door opener to open the garage door when they know you are away.
• During holiday shopping, lock presents in the trunk or hide them under a blanket. Thieves target shopping centers during the holidays to steal presents they see inside cars.

 

It’s simple….Lock it or lose it. Take some simple precautions to protect your property.