Residents are encouraged to follow these important safety tips to help prevent these types of incidents from occurring in their neighborhoods:
• ALWAYS lock your vehicle and keep your windows rolled up when you are away from your vehicle. Thieves will sometimes walk down a street or through a business district checking door handles for easy access to your vehicle’s contents.
• ALWAYS remove valuables from plain view, such as purses, wallets, briefcases, GPS units, laptops, large amounts of loose change, CD wallets, radar detectors, and other similar items. This can lead to smashed windows or other damage from forced entry attempts. Bring these items inside at night.
• NEVER leave purses or wallets inside of your vehicle at gas pumps, even if you are only going to go inside to pay for a few minutes. Thieves will sometimes wait in gas stations for subjects who leave their vehicles unlocked while they have their back turned to their vehicle.
• ALWAYS report suspicious activity in your neighborhood immediately by calling 911. Never yell at someone who you believe is stealing as this will only give them a running start from the responding police officers. Keep an eye on their location from a safe position/location and keep the dispatcher updated if you feel that someone is possibly stealing or attempting to steal from vehicles