The Holidays are a festive time of year and a thief’s favorite time of year. While shoppers flock to the malls and shopping centers, so do burglars with a shopping list of their own.
They want into your cars to get whatever they can and they’ll stop at almost nothing to do it. They simply open an unlocked door, break a window, or jimmy the handle to get inside. Typically burglars look for the following items: Loose change, phone charger, computer connector cables, docking stations, after market stereo/CD players, MP3 players, GPS units, cell phones, wallets, purses, and shopping bags with merchandise, mail, and anything else that may be of value. Don’t forget the garage door opener is another item that can be taken along with the vehicle registration or any other piece of mail with your address on it.
Thieves also watch the parking lots to see who returns to their vehicle with bags of merchandise and then returns to the mall to shop. Once the unsuspecting shopper goes back inside, the thief may target the vehicle as their next burglary.
What can a person do to avoid enticing thieves?
- Always park in a well traveled, well lit area.
- Put all valuable items away and out of sight before you park in the shopping center parking lot.
- Don’t keep unnecessary valuables in your vehicle.
- Never leave your purse or wallet in the vehicle (this includes don’t put them in the seat back, under the seat, or glove compartment).
- If you have an aftermarket stereo, remove the faceplate when you park your vehicle.
- Lock your vehicle and set the alarm or anti-theft device.
- Mark (etch, inscribe, or engrave) all valuables you must have in your car with a personal identifier (not your social security number). One idea is to label valuables necessary in your car with your license plate number and state. This could help law enforcement trace the item back to you.
- Never return to your vehicle and fill it with valuables, close it and go back in the store to shop. If you must place items in your vehicle and return shopping, get back into the vehicle and move it to another parking place before returning to the store to continue shopping.
Always be aware of your surroundings and if you notice any suspicious activity by someone in a parking lot report it to law enforcement. Suspicious activity may include:
- A person walking through parking aisles looking into vehicles
- A person trying vehicles door handles as they walk through the parking lot
- A person sitting in a parked vehicle watching everyone in the parking lot for a long period of time
- A person who is dropped off in the parking lot and instead of going into a store, walks up and down the aisles of the parked cars in the lot
- A vehicle cruising up and down the parking lot aisles continuously without parking and watching shoppers return to their vehicles
- A person who places any type of item on a vehicle
Many cases of identity theft begin with a vehicle burglary when a person leaves their purse, wallet, checkbook, or any other financial documents in their vehicle. Take the necessary precautions and if you’re not carrying the item with you, don’t leave it in your car.
| The above is an excerpt from the article, “Vehicle Burglary Prevention Tips.” For more information, please visit www.yumaaz.gov. |
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