Full Notification

As warmer weather approaches, we see more foot traffic at area business parking lots, and in our subdivisions. Occasionally, pedestrians are not just walking to and from - they are looking for unsecured vehicles where valuables are contained inside.
There are two things a thief who wants to steal things out of your car cannot afford: Time, and Noise. Knowing that, we can do a few things to make it more difficult for them, and help prevent you from becoming a victim. First, either take with you – or hide from plain sight – any valuables that you may keep in your car. This includes electronic devices like cellphones, iPods, GPS units, etc., and wallets, jewelry, cash, coins, and other valuables. If you have to leave things in your car, your chances of a thief not getting your stuff are better if you find yourself a good hiding spot within the car that would take time to find. They’ll hopefully move on if they don’t spot something quickly. Firearms should never be left unattended in a car, unless you have a secure safe to lock them in. Examples of in-car safes can be found here: http://safelelo.com/
If you are out shopping or at the gym, use the trunk to hide valuables, but don’t wait until you’re on the parking lot to hide your stuff because a crook may be watching. The trunk can be a difficult place for a thief to find something valuable that you have hidden, especially when a would-be thief doesn’t know if anything is in there in the first place.
Finally, remember that we all feel safe in our homes, but that does not mean we should let our guard down there. When you park your car and it will not be within your sight, lock it up. Since warm weather is here there is a lot more pedestrian traffic out late at night, and thieves on foot will look for easy targets in home driveways. Don’t make it easy for them, and don’t allow them easy access to your home by letting them get into your unlocked car so they also have access to your garage door opener.
If you see suspicious pedestrians in your neighborhood, especially late at night, please call your Police Department at 314-737-4600, or 9-1-1 if urgent.