Recently there has been an increase in the number of
attempted and actual vehicle burglaries. While many of these
burglaries occur at night they also occur during daylight hours.
During daylight hours, the targets are usually unlocked vehicles
or vehicles with valuable articles in open view. These articles
include purses, audio equipment, GPS devices and automatic garage door
openers. The latter can be valuable if the driver drives home
without missing the device. The burglar can then stake out the
house and use the device when the owner is not home. During the
night, common targets are vehicles, particulaly high-end trucks,
with expensive tires and wheels. The burglars will jack the
vehicle up on blocks and steal all the tires and wheels.
To protect against this crime, please take the following precautions:
- Park your vehicles in your garage, whenever possible.
- Always lock unattended vehicles.
-
Consider placing a lug nut lock on each wheel, particularly if
your vehicle has expensive wheels. This includes full-size spares.
- Park vehicles in clear view. At night, try to park near outdoor lights.
- When exiting the vehicle, do not leave any valuables in open view; lock them in the trunk.
-
When returning to your vehicle in public places, such as parking
lots, look for suspicious characters before
unlocking your vehicle. If you identify someone suspicious,
return to a safe place and call the police at their non-emergency number.
-
When returning to your locked vehicle, have your keys ready to use as
soon as you reach your vehicle.
