It’s no secret that thieves are out on the hunt lurking through your car windows looking for your valuables, and by the attached photo you can see that they have a lot to pick from. This is stolen property that was recovered in a recent auto burglary arrest.
We can’t stress this enough, PLEASE REMOVE YOUR VALUABLES FROM YOUR CARS. Unfortunately, we can’t stop car break-ins from happening, but you can help protect your valuable property by removing it from your cars.
Here are some simple reminders that may reduce your chances of falling victim to an opportunistic thief:
Lock It Up: It may sound obvious, but many thefts are the result of unlocked cars. Double check to make sure you close the windows and lock all the doors before leaving the car and don’t forget the sunroof.
Remove Your Goods: Don’t leave packages, phones, music players, or other valuables on the seats, floor, dash, or anywhere in sight. Remove all valuables before exiting your car. Even a visible cell phone cord is enough to entice a thief.
Hide It: If you can’t take your items with you, lock them in the trunk or otherwise stash them out of sight. Make sure no one is watching you though. Keep in mind, thieves are tech savvy these days and some use signal-detection equipment to track devices. The technology used allows them to locate electronic devices such as laptops in cars by detecting the wi-fi signal, even if the laptop is closed and in sleep mode. If you MUST leave electronic goods like laptops behind make sure you turn them off completely so they cannot be tracked.
Stay Focused: Pay attention to your surroundings while walking to and from your car. Walk with a purpose, and stay off the phone. Have your keys ready as you approach the car, and get yourself and your packages inside quickly.
Be Vigilant: If you see someone acting suspicious report it by calling 911. What may be suspicious behavior for a car burglar? Anyone walking up and down aisles of parking lots looking into cars or trying door handles, vehicles cruising parking lots at very slow speeds for extended periods while observing parked cars or anyone sitting in running parked cars for protracted periods, and vehicles dropping one person off while continuing to cruise the same area.
What to do if something is stolen out of your car: As soon as you notice something's stolen, or that your car has been broken into, do not touch or adjust anything in, on, or around the car. As soon as possible, call the police to report the incident, Sunnyvale DPS’s Non-Emergency Dispatch line 408-730-7180.
We’re doing our part, please help us by doing yours.
