Albany Police Department Reports Break-ins

From the City of Albany: Vehicle break-ins continue to be problematic in the Bay Area. The following tips may help minimize your chance of being the victim of an auto-burglary or theft from your vehicle:

• Do not leave valuables in plain sight. Place them into a closed compartment or your trunk. Doing this prior to parking at your destination will help prevent a watching thief from knowing where you are hiding your valuables in the car.
• Always lock your doors and fully close all windows and sunroof.
• When parking choose a spot that is highly visible to passing pedestrians and motorists.
• If parking at night, choose a well-lit spot.
• Keep the interior of your car as free as you can of bags, boxes, backpacks, etc. Remember, that even that gym bag you know has only clothing inside is a tempting target for a thief who may hope it contains something more valuable.
• Avoid keeping change visible in your car. Break-ins have occurred for the loose change and small bills left out in the open.

It only takes a minute for a good thief to smash your window, so be sure to take your wallet, purse, laptop, phone, etc. with you, even if you know you will be away from the car for only a few minutes.

Report suspicious activity to the police department. Things to be attentive of may include: a car slowly driving around parked cars, a person or people looking into car windows with more than a passing interest, people pulling on car door handles, or the sounds of breaking glass. Any of these could be signs someone is looking to burglarize a car.

This press release was produced by the City of Albany. The views expressed here are the author’s own.