Auto burglaries can be very difficult cases to solve as there is usually very little physical evidence left behind after one has occurred. These crimes usually occur in the early morning hours in residential areas or apartment or business parking lots when it is less likely the thieves will be seen. In order to help reduce the risk of becoming a victim of a car burglary we have provided some easy tips to follow.
• ALWAYS close your windows and lock your vehicle and garage doors. An open or unlocked
window/garage door is an invitation to a criminal and easy target.
• Park in well lit areas close to the building, or if at home in the garage. If you must park in your
driveway utilize (or install) floodlights installed above/around your garage set on a motion detector to illuminate your driveway as this will help discourage a burglar (lighting is one of the best property crime deterrents). While parking in an isolated spot may reduce the risk of door dings, a criminal looks for vehicles parked out of the way in order to help ensure less attention is drawn to them.
• ALWAYS remove loose valuables from your vehicle, including the garage door opener (if taken it is an easy way for a burglar to gain entry into your home). This includes purses, wallets, cellular phones, laptop computers, loose change, briefcases, etc. A car burglar loves to see items that can be grabbed easily and carried away without much effort. A brick through the window is all it takes to gain access to those loose items.
• ALWAYS set your car alarm (if so equipped) and take note of any car alarms you hear going off in your vicinity.
• Don’t hesitate to call 911 to report suspicious persons seen wandering around in parking
lots or neighborhoods (particularly after hours) and/or looking into cars as they walk by.
• Keep a list of serial numbers for your commonly used electronic equipment. Even if you plan on never leaving a cellular phone or laptop computer in your vehicle, you should record all of the
following information:
Make of Item: (Motorola, Compaq, etc.)
Model Number
Serial Number
Having this information available is necessary in order to enter the items into the NCIC computer database. This will aid police in trying to locate the items if the offender(s) are found with them or if they are pawned. This will also ensure the property is returned to the rightful owner. These steps should be used whenever and wherever you park your vehicle, whether you are just “running in for a minute” or parking for the evening.
For more information, please contact:
Frisco Police Department
Community Services Division
972-292-6134
