Car Prowls

In the nine years I’ve been in law enforcement there has been one incident in particular that has been a constant problem, “Car Prowls.” Yes, probably many of you reading this have been a victim, as have I. Responding to your house or apartment to take the report is not solving this problem, nor are the few arrests, in comparison to how many occur. As a Police Officer responding to this complaint, after the fact, I’ve heard on several occasions “I thought this was a safe neighborhood.” Well, it is. Let’s face it, without someone actually witnessing the incident, calling 911 and having officers catch the perpetrators in the act, the chance of an arrest is slim at best. And, if there is an arrest, most of the related crimes are misdemeanors, and property ones at that. That means that unless the arrested subject is on parole or probation they will probably not see any jail time and walk away with a ticket. So, let’s get down to basics:

How Do I Protect Myself:

The best possible way to minimize your chance is to NOT LEAVE ANYTHING IN YOUR CAR YOU’RE NOT WILLING TO REPLACE.
Take your removable car stereo inside with you when you leave your car.
DO NOT leave any valuables in plain sight.
Use a device such as “The Club” to deter car theft.
If you live in a house, and are able, install motion lights.
Park your car in the garage if you can.

Remember you do live in a safe community, but thieves don’t limit themselves to one area. Over time they have begun to use more sophisticated devices to do their crimes. Also, most of these types of crimes occur in the early morning hours while your sleeping, but they also occur in broad daylight. Help us, and yourself by taking these steps to PROTECT YOUR PROPERTY. We will continue diligently to patrol your neighborhoods and keep this element out of our community, but we can’t do it alone.