How to prevent car from getting broken into

Vehicle break-ins are an internationally common crime, and the City of Scappoose is not immune. The good news is there are things that you can do to protect yourself from having your car broken into and your personal property stolen.

• Leave any items home that might be attractive to thieves.
• Put your junk in the trunk! And put items attractive to thieves in your trunk before you arrive at your destination.
• Putting the items in your trunk while at your parking spot can tip off a thief that you have good property to steal.
• Never leave anything visible inside your vehicle! This is the single most important thing you can do to prevent your car window from being smashed and your valuables stolen.
• Thieves take things you might think are worthless, smashing your car windows in the process.
• Take with you, leave at home or store in your trunk any of the following items: GPS units (always wipe off the suction cup ring on your windshield – that ring is a dead give-away to a thief that a GPS device is inside your vehicle. GPS units are the most common items stolen during a car break-in. Handbags, purses, wallets, gym bags, and briefcases are the second most stolen items during a car break-in. Cell Phones, MP3 players, Chargers (even if you hide your electronics, if a thief sees the charger, they'll break into the car on the assumption that the GPS, cell phone, or MP3 player is hidden under your seat, in an interior compartment, or inside your trunk. Stereo faceplates, satellite radio receivers, Radar detectors, Loose change – to some your spare change is a fortune. A car thief will break your window to steal your 73 cents out of the vehicle cup holder or ash tray. CD's, DVD's, Laptops and cases
• Park in a well-lit location with large amounts of foot traffic. Avoid parking on an isolated side street
• Park in a parking lot that has an attendant
• Roll up your car windows all the way, and lock your doors. Engage your car alarm, but understand that car alarms do not deter thieves from breaking into your vehicle. The amount of time necessary for a thief to break into your vehicle and steal your property is less than 30 seconds, not enough time for them to be scared away by the alarm.

What to do if you see a car break-in in progress:

Call 911 or the Non- Emergency Dispatch (503) 397-1521 to report the incident.

When talking to the dispatcher, try to give as much information as possible, specifically:

LOCATION of the incident: Address, cross streets, or specific location inside a parking lot

DESCRIPTION OF THE SUSPECT: Provide as much information as possible, such as sex, race, age, height, weight, hair color and length, color and length of facial hair, colors and style of clothing, identifying marks such as tattoos or piercings, etc.

DIRECTION: Give the direction of travel if the thief flees. If the thief flees in a vehicle, give the description of the vehicle, and attempt to provide a license plate.

DESCRIPTION OF THE VICTIM'S VEHICLE. Give the color, make, model and license plate (if available)

Thank you for your continued support of your community, Chief Norman Miller.

COMMITTED TO COMMUNITY AND COMPASSION

Up to two in five people leave valuables on display in their car when they leave it, and young people are more likely to leave valuables in their car than older people. Even items you think might not be worth anything could be quickly stolen and traded or sold on Ebay.

Often, the cost of fixing the break-in is not covered by insurance and, if you didn’t leave your car secure, your insurance might not pay out.

So, here’s how to deter thieves from breaking into your car.

• Never leave anything of value on display in your car. This includes thinking that covering them with a blanket or jacket will stop thieves’ curiosity. If you need to leave anything in your car it should be stashed in the glove box or in the boot (make sure your boot blind is effective if you have a station wagon or hatchback). Don’t think that opportunistic thieves won’t take an item worth just a few dollars if they think they can get something for it.
• Think about when you will have to put things in the boot. If you need to move things into the boot and you are likely to be parking in a place which is not that secure, stop somewhere before you get to your final destination because if thieves are watching you put your valuable stuff in the boot and then you leave the car, you might as well not have tried to hide it.
• Always lock your car, even in the driveway. It’s not necessary to lock it in a locked garage, but don’t leave the keys in it. When you are filling up with fuel, lock the car and take the keys with you when you go in to pay (unless there’s someone else in the car).
• Take high-value items with you – your wallet, phone, laptops, etc. Even if a thief does break in, these kinds of items will be safely with you and you’re not at risk of losing a set of bank cards or some irreplaceable photos on your phone.
• Remove any sat nav (GPS) cradle and phone charger from view. People are lazy and often take their GPS off and put it in the glove box. Leaving the cradle there advertises this.
• Put the detachable faceplate of your stereo in the glovebox.
• Get an alarm and immobiliser and place the warning stickers on the windows.
• Inform your neighbours if your car has been broken into because thieves often target cars in the same street.
• Park in a well-lit, busy, open area. If possible, use a car park with a security attendant or security cameras.
• Avoid buying a car with a small quarterlight window (a small window in the back door) as these are easy to break with minimal noise.
• Use a wheel lock if you want to deter car theft.

And if you come back to your car with one of these in it, it’s probably best you don’t tackle it yourself:

Tagged with: crime
Posted in Advice, Car

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