Vehicle burglaries and thefts are crimes of opportunity which occur at all hours, day and night. Burglaries from a vehicle generally have one thing in common: personal belongings, such as purses, bags, clothing, laptops and other electronic devices, are left in vehicles. Keep in mind anything can be of value to a thief.

Auto Burglary Prevention Basics

• Always roll up vehicle windows and lock all doors.
• Hide your personal belongings. If you leave property visible in your vehicle, your vehicle is automatically a target.
• Store items in your trunk before you arrive on-site; avoid storing items in your trunk after you park.
• Keep cell phone cords and other electronic accessories out of sight. Burglars are willing to break a window when they see a cord because there is a chance that a device will be in the vehicle.
• Burglars are able to detect the Bluetooth signal on electronic devices. Place your electronics in airplane mode or turn off the Bluetooth/Wi-Fi option, then power off your electronic devices. Put away devices before you get to the parking lot.
• If you are alone and it is late, ask store security to accompany you to your parked vehicle.
• Park in a well-lit area.

Suspicious Activity

Look out for "Suspicious Activity" including:

• People walking up and down the parking lot aisles looking into cars or trying door handles
• Vehicles driving around parking lots at very slow speeds for extended periods of time while observing parked cars
• People on bicycles or electronic scooters casing around the parking lot