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Ventura County Sheriff's Office
Thursday April 21st, 2022 :: 06:59 p.m. PDT

Community

News Story - Auto Theft Prevention

Nature of Incident: Auto Theft Prevention
Report Number: N/A
Location: City of Thousand Oaks
Date & Time: 2022
Unit(s) Responsible: Thousand Oaks Investigative Bureau- Property Crimes Unit
(S)uspects, (V)ictims, (P)arty, (D)ecedent

City of Residence

 Age
     
Narrative:
The city of Thousand Oaks has seen an uptick in stolen vehicle reports.  There have been 29 reported stolen vehicles since the beginning of 2022, with 5 attempted stolen vehicles reported. 
 
The analysis of the crimes showed all models of vehicles have been stolen with the highest percentage being Ford’s and Honda’s.  There is no pattern as to when the crimes are occurring.  It can be day or night any time of the week. The crimes appear to be opportunistic for the purposes of transportation. 
 
The Sheriff’s Office is seeking to educate the public and offer crime prevention tips.
 
  • Lock your doors.
  • Remove Keys from the vehicle (35% of the stolen vehicles had keys left inside the car.)
  • Do NOT leave a spare key in the vehicle.
  • Close the windows.
  • Don’t leave valuables in your car.
  • Park your car in the garage.
  • Park in well-lit areas, near surveillance cameras.
  • Install a tracking system.
  • Install an audible alarm system and anti-theft device.
    • Visible devices, such as a steering wheel lock, window etching or an alarm system's flashing light, may also be enough to deter a car thief. If they are not sure they can get away with the car quietly or fear they may get caught, they may just avoid your vehicle altogether.
 
  • Install a vehicle immobilizer system.
 
  • Thieves can bypass your ignition by "hotwiring" your car, but you can help prevent this by using a vehicle immobilizer system. Immobilizer systems may incorporate smart keys, kill switches and wireless ignition authentication. They'll essentially disable the vehicle so that a thief cannot make off with it. You may need to have a mechanic or technician who is familiar with the vehicle's wiring and computer systems install the immobilizer in your vehicle.
 
 
Along with employing some of the above practices, always remember to be alert to your surroundings.  If you see something suspicious, do not hesitate to call the Sheriff’s Office.  If you feel it is an emergency, call 911.  The non-emergency line to Sheriff’s dispatch is 805-654-9511.
 
Prepared by: Sgt. Laura Natoli  
News Release Date: 04/22/22  
Media Follow-Up Contact: Detective Matthew James, 805-371-8396, [email protected]  
Approved by:
 
 
Booking Photo Release: 		Captain Steven Jenkins
 
 YES     NO  		  
           
 
Ventura County Crime Stoppers will pay up to $1,000 reward for information, which leads to the arrest and criminal complaint against the person(s) responsible for this crime.  The caller may remain anonymous.  The call is not recorded.  Call Crime Stoppers at 800-222-TIPS (8477).
 

Address/Location
Ventura County Sheriff's Office
800 S Victoria Ave
Ventura, CA 93003

Contact
Emergency: 9-1-1
Non-emergencies: 805-654-9511

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