Petaluma Police Department
For Immediate Release
April 29, 2022
Issued by: Jennifer Pritchard, Community Engagement Liaison
[email protected]. 707-778-4458
Remove It or Lose It – Auto Burglaries and Thefts on the Rise
This public safety announcement is being sent to alert community members about a rising trend in theft from vehicles and how to prevent these crimes from occurring in the first place. Car break-ins, also known as vehicle burglaries, and thefts from vehicles are on the rise throughout California and Petaluma is no exception. In Petaluma specifically, we are receiving a high volume of reports related to three specific types of property theft. The first area being auto burglary where thieves use force to break into cars, usually by breaking a window and removing property. Additionally, thefts of catalytic converters and thefts from unlocked vehicles continue to rise.
Please remember, vehicle burglaries and thefts are crimes of opportunity which occur at all hours of the day and night. Auto burglaries generally have one thing in common: personal belongings, such as purses, bags, clothing, laptops, and other electronic devices, are left visible inside vehicles and are visible. Keep in mind anything can be of value to a thief: loose change, charging chords, sunglasses, etc. Do not underestimate your ability to prevent this type of crime through simple safety measures.
So far in 2022, the Petaluma Police Department has investigated 73 thefts from cars, which includes 22 thefts from unlocked vehicles, 35 catalytic converter thefts, and 16 car break-ins (burglaries). In the month of April, the Petaluma Police Department investigated 7 car break-ins where windows were broken, and property left in the vehicles were stolen.
Basics on How to Prevent Auto Burglary:
- Always roll up vehicle windows and lock all doors.
- Remove any items of value from inside the vehicle. If you leave property visible in your vehicle, your vehicle is automatically a target.
- Store items in your trunk before you arrive on-site; avoid storing items in your trunk after you park. Your trunk is harder to break into and is better than leaving property in the passenger area visible to thieves.
- Keep cell phone cords and other electronic accessories out of sight. Thieves are willing to break a window when they see a cord because there is a chance that a device will be in the vehicle.
- Thieves can detect the Bluetooth signal on electronic devices. Place your electronics in airplane mode or turn off the Bluetooth/Wi-Fi option, then power off your electronic devices. Put away devices before you get to the parking lot.
What to Watch For and Report (Suspicious Activity):
- People walking up and down the parking lot aisles looking into cars or trying door handles.
- Vehicles driving around parking lots at very slow speeds for extended periods of time while observing parked cars.
- People on bicycles or electronic scooters casing around the parking lot.
- People who do not live on your street, who appear to be loitering or going vehicle to vehicle.
- People who do not live on your street that appear to be going door to door, checking mailboxes, porches or looking in windows.
How You Can Help: Always report suspicious activity via 911 (Emergency) or 707.778.4373 in progress non-emergency.
- Note details like the description of a suspicious person from head to toe or the description of vehicle. The more details you can provide the better. Of course photographs or video surveillance footage can help identify suspects and may lead to the apprehension of a thief in your neighborhood.
- Build strong relationships with your neighbors so you can look out for one another and each other’s property.
We pursue theft cases with investigative leads thoroughly. These crime prevention tips also apply to businesses and homes where thieves can see theft opportunities. Thank you for taking this situation seriously and doing your part to prevent crime in our community.
To report crime tips please use COPLOGIC on our Petaluma Police Department online reporting system:
https://cityofpetaluma.org/file-police-report/ . For non-emergency questions, please call our mainline at 707-778-4373.
