Summer is in full swing, and during the warmer months, we typically see an increase in thefts from automobiles, especially during the overnight hours. These crimes often occur when individuals locate unlocked vehicles that are quick and easy targets.
Items commonly stolen from vehicles include electronics such as laptops and tablets, firearms, purses, wallets, credit cards, and cash. The best way to prevent becoming a victim is to always lock your vehicle and keep valuables out of sight whenever possible.
If you choose to keep valuables inside your vehicle, we encourage you to record any serial numbers associated with those items and take photographs of them. Having this information readily available can be extremely helpful to law enforcement when investigating thefts and attempting to identify recovered property.
Serial numbers are especially important because law enforcement agencies can enter them into a nationwide database as stolen property. If an officer anywhere in the country encounters that item and runs the serial number, it will notify them that the property has been reported stolen. This greatly increases the chances of recovering the item and returning it to its rightful owner.
By taking these precautions, you can help protect your property and make it more difficult for criminals to target our community.
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