Crime Prevention for Vehicle Burglary
Car burglaries are very difficult cases to solve as there is usually very little physical evidence
left behind after one has occurred. The crimes usually occur in the early morning hours in apartment
or business parking lots when it is less likely the thieves will be seen. In order to help reduce the
risk of becoming a victim of a car burglary we have provided some easy tips to follow.
- Never leave the keys in your vehicle.
- Always lock the doors and close your windows, even when you are away from the vehicle for a short time.
- Remove items (purses, tapes, CD's, books, cash, etc.) from the vehicle when possible. If you can't take them out, put them in a place that is out of view (in the trunk or tool box)
- Remove "pull-out" style stereos and/or removable faceplates of stereos. (if equipped)
- Park in well lit areas close to the building. While parking in an isolated spot may reduce the risk of door dings, a criminal looks for cars parked out of the way in order to help ensure less attention is drawn to them.
- Park near your apartment so that the vehicle can be viewed periodically.
- Report suspicious persons seen wandering around in parking lots or looking into cars as they walk by. Don’t hesitate to call 911 to report suspicious persons, you can even call and remain anonymous.
- Keep a list of serial numbers for your commonly used electronic equipment. Even if you plan on never leaving a cellular phone or laptop computer in your car, you should record all of the following information:
- Make of Item: (Motorola, Sony, Compaq, etc.)
- Model Number
- Serial Number
Other vehicle security considerations:
- Steering wheel lock bar or steering column locking cover.
- "Engine kill" switch.
- Car alarm