Police Give Tips on Avoiding Vehicle Thefts

Anyone who follows the daily police briefs knows that there have been a rash of vehicle thefts in Annapolis for a few years, and it's showing no signs of slowing down.

In an effort to curb the number of thefts, the Annapolis Police Department issued the following letter to educate the public on avoiding these thefts:

Investigating Thefts from Autos: Owner Diligence Can Reduce Risk of Being Victimized

The Annapolis Police Department is investigating a large number of automobile break-ins and thefts from autos and believe the trend can be stopped, or at least slowed, with greater diligence by vehicle owners. As of September 16, officers have responded to 261 incidents of thefts from vehicles in 2013. 

Officers say, while suspects do search out and target specific vehicles and communities, more often than not, thefts from autos are typically crimes of opportunity. Vehicle owners often leave their cars unlocked with personal items clearly visible inside the passenger compartment. Sometimes aggressive thieves will smash windows but with that comes the risk that the noise will alert someone. So they search out unlocked vehicles.

Thieves will take purses or wallets, and very quickly fraudulently misuse credit cards, hours before the victim knows they have been stolen. Additionally, suspects take phones, iPads, laptops, GPS units and other electronics from unlocked vehicles. Officers urge people to keep their vehicles locked and to keep valuables out of sight. Cars should always be locked even during times when the owners are home. Officers assigned to the Community Services Unit will tell you that most thefts from vehicles occur while cars are parked at residences and when asked, most vehicle owners will tell police they didn’t think it would happen to them. Police also note that owners will often leave their car unlocked when stopping for a quick errand or at a convenience store. It takes very little time for a suspect to reach into an unlocked car, steal an item, and be gone before the owner realizes the theft has occurred. Officers recommend when shopping to park in well-lit areas, and remove all valuables from the car before leaving home or secure them in the trunk of the vehicle. Officers also strongly remind owners it is illegal to leave their vehicle unattended with the engine running. Police want vehicle owners to be safe and to help reduce the likelihood of them becoming victim of a crime. Awareness and diligence goes a long way towards reducing that risk. 

The Annapolis Police Department also offers the Watch Your Car Program to help prevent vehicle theft. A small sticker is placed on the vehicle’s rear window and alerts officers nationwide that your vehicle is not normally driven between the hours of 1:00am-5:00am. The vehicle may be stopped to verify ownership. For more information about the Watch Your Car Program, contact Kim Hartlove, A.L.E.R.T. Grant Coordinator at the police department at 410-268-9000 x7322 or krhartlove@annapolis.gov. 

Remember a lock isn’t a lock, unless it’s locked.