Police Share Tips To Prevent Entering Auto Thefts

Editor’s note: the following information was taken from the Cartersville Police Department’s Facebook page.

This time of year entering autos are more prevalent. Here are some tips to keep your vehicle and valuables safe:

1. Lock your doors: This is the single most effective way to deter thieves.
2. Keep your car in order: When a thief looks into your car and sees clutter, he or she may presume there must be something good among the mess. A messy car can also indicate a lack of care, which might also mean a lack of care for removing valuables.
3. Park smart: Parking conspicuously can go a long way, as thieves are looking to avoid attention. In parking lots, try sticking to heavy traffic areas where lots of eyes will be passing by your car. In residential areas, where most thefts occur at night, park in the open and under streetlights to keep your car visible. If you’ve got a garage, park inside for an added layer of protection. Consider the use of motion lights at your residence.
4. Remove valuable items: Purses, electronic devices and guns are exactly what thieves are looking for, so keeping them out of sight or, better yet, out of your car, is a great way to avoid losing them. GPS units, phones, sunglasses and shopping bags can be prime targets. Even subtle signs of valuables, such as GPS holders or auxiliary cords, can tip off a thief that there is something valuable in your vehicle. If you can’t remove valuables from your car entirely, locking them in the trunk is the next best thing, followed by simply hiding them. The more valuables, or even traces of them, you leave in your car, the more you invite a thief.
5. Use an alarm system: Some call car alarms ineffective, as we’re so used to hearing them that we don’t pay attention. Most car burglars won’t take the chance that an alarm will go ignored. Even if no one notices the alarm, your possessions will be safe if it scares the thief away.
6. Clear large rocks/bricks near parking area: If a thief wants your valuables badly enough they will break a window to get it. Bricks and large rocks are tools of opportunity for a thief looking to quickly smash a window.
7. Call the Police Department or 911: If you notice suspicious vehicles, or people in your neighborhood, call to report it as soon as possible. The faster we can get to your neighborhood the better the chance we have of locating the suspect.

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