Full Notification

Cars are broken into at all times of the day and night. It doesn't matter whether the car is parked in your driveway, a shopping mall, commuter lot, or work.

Practicing these tips, NO MATTER WHERE YOU PARK is critical, whether in Platte City or beyond. This type of theft is usually a crime of opportunity, where a thief is looking for the easiest target.

1. ALWAYS LOCK YOUR DOORS and CLOSE YOUR WINDOWS and SUN ROOF.
A majority of car break in cases that the Platte City Police handles involves parked cars that were in the owner's driveway and UNLOCKED. Thieves look for easy targets like unlocked doors. ALWAYS LOCK YOUR DOORS NO MATTER WHERE YOU PARK. Even if you are leaving the car for "only a second" lock all your doors. Make sure all your windows are up as well.

2. Remove valuables from sight.
Leaving an expensive GPS unit on the dashboard or a laptop computer on the back seat invites a vehicle to be broken into. Gifts are another easy target at holiday time when left in plain sight.
I- pods, MP3 players, PDA's, cell phones and cash left on the front seat are another very easy target. These items are small and easy grabbed by thieves. DON’T LEAVE YOUR PURSE IN THE FRONT SEAT or IN OPEN VIEW or LEAVE WEAPONS UNATTENDED IN CAR

3. Secure your valuables in the trunk, or cover them up and keep them out of view. Doing so before you reach your destination is also a good idea, in the event that a thief is watching the parking lot.

4. Park in well-lit areas.
Parking in a well-lit area where your vehicle is highly visible will also deter thieves, especially if there is constant traffic and other people walking by. Parking your vehicle in a dimly lit, remote area of a parking lot or garage makes your vehicle an easy target.

5. Eliminate tell-tale signs.
Car break ins are usually not random. Thieves are looking for valuables and will break into those cars that they think have valuables in them. Don't leave an empty GPS mount on the dash or windshield. Even the rings that the suction cup from some GPS mounts leave tell thieves that you have a GPS unit. Power cables and charges are another tell-tale sign that you have expensive electronics and most likely, the items are still in your car. Unplug your chargers, and remove the suction cup rings from the windshield. Many companies make bean bag type mounts for your GPS unit, which leave no tell-tale signs, and can be quickly removed from sight.