Car prowls remain a problem in Puget Sound all through the
year but especially during the holiday season. Car prowlers take advantage of
opportunities when they see anything that they can steal, or they detect that your
vehicle is unlocked. Not securing your vehicle puts you at risk of losing your
purse or wallet with the cash and/or bank cards that it carries. You can also
lose any possessions that you do not secure including your cell phone, laptop
or tablet computer, gym equipment, store purchases, etc. Anything in your
vehicle can be used by a thief to sell or trade for drugs or for identity
theft.
Car prowls can occur overnight at home if you park your car
or truck in your driveway or at any time of the day when your vehicle is parked
in a parking lot or garage while shopping or at work.
Car prowlers look for opportunities to enter your vehicle and
to reduce their own risk of being caught. The Bellevue Police Department
interviewed 3 car prowlers and found out that they:
·
Targeted wealthier neighborhoods that did not
have “Neighborhood Watch” signs.
·
They checked every door handle for unlocked
doors.
·
If they could get into a car, they would look
for spare keys in consoles and glove boxes.
·
They avoided apartment complexes for fear of
being seen.
·
They also avoided homes with open windows,
security signs or surveillance cameras.
You can expect car prowlers in parking lots to check door
handles for unlocked cars, especially if they see something in them. An unlocked
car is not as messy for a car prowler, but, if needed, they can easily break a
window to grab anything in the car.
Local police emphasize that the key actions that you can
take to prevent car prowling is to remove anything from view in your vehicle and
to lock it when you park it.
The Lynnwood Police Department recommends that when you park
your vehicle that you go through the following simple routine:
·
Scan
the inside of your car for anything that could be considered valuable.
·
Stow
away everything in view in your car.
·
Secure your
car by rolling up windows, closing sun roofs’ and locking all doors.
Remember,
·
Don’t leave anything in view in your vehicle!
·
Park in a well-lit area in a parking lot or at
home!
·
LOCK YOUR VEHICLE!
KIRO TV:
Lynnwood Today:
Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office:
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