During the holidays millions of dollars in merchandise are stolen from vehicles every year and the amount is steadily increasing. The total cost does not include damage to autos, the insurance costs as a result of these thefts, or the bitter disappointment of a victim. A large number of these thefts occur at night; however, they can and do occur anytime the opportunity presents itself to a thief. The purpose of this notice is to show you how to increase the risk to the thief. The tips given are simple, inexpensive and mainly require observing proper habits in respect to the care of your car when leaving it unattended. As with all crime prevention, the responsibility is yours.
- Always lock your vehicle with the windows rolled up.
The harder it is for a thief to get into your car, the more likely he will move on to the next car. Almost half of our thefts from inside motor vehicle involve a vehicle being left unlocked.
- Don’t leave anything of value inside the vehicle in plain sight.
This includes cell phones, radios, briefcases, purses, packages, compact discs, and other valuables. They should not be left in you car period, but obviously shouldn’t be in view.
- Items that you can’t take with you should be locked in the trunk.
If you can’t take your valuables with you when you leave the car, at least lock them in your trunk where they are the most difficult for a thief to locate and steal.
- Don’t leave your vehicle unoccupied with the keys in it.
Don’t do this even for a moment. Why make it easy for a criminal to drive off with your car? This is especially true at convenience stores or with children in the car.
- If you have an anti-theft device for your vehicle…use it!
If you have a car alarm, set it. If you have a steering wheel “club”, lock it in place correctly.
- Make sure the license plates on your car are properly secured.
Make it difficult to remove your plate by securing it tightly.
- At night, park in well lighted areas.
Not only will this deter thieves from stealing from your car, but you will also be safer when you return to your vehicle.
- Report all incidents as quickly as possible to the police.
If you see anything suspicious, ESPECIALLY during daytime hours please call the Trenton Police Department. The City of Trenton has been experiencing daytime burglaries particularly involving vacant homes. If you don’t report a crime, the Police Department won’t know there is a problem.
To report an incident to the Trenton Police Department call 989-4170, in an emergency dial “911”
