Waltham Police After Spate Of Break-Ins: Lock Your Car

WALTHAM, MA — After a string of car and truck break-ins recently, police are asking folks to remember to lock their cars — even if they are parked in your own driveway. So far this month there have been at least 10 reports of car break-ins and three cars stolen, according to police data.

"In the vast majority of vehicle breaks in general the cars are left unlocked," police said on social media. Seven of the 10 break-ins were reported on the morning of June 11, according to police logs.

Police are also reminding residents to report any suspicious activity. And if you think your automobile was broken into, they recommend calling them and not touching or disturbing anything, so they can have the best chance of gathering evidence.

During the entire month of May there were five reports of car break-ins, according to police data.

What you can do to prevent your car from being broken into:

• Lock your car. Yes, even in your driveway. Police say this over and over again. Most cars in Waltham that get broken into, are easy targets because they're left unlocked.
• Don't leave the little stuff: change, tape measures, toll readers, or random cool stuff visible. All of that is bait for a potential thief walking by.
• Don't leave the big stuff either: Never leave a purse or a bag in your car for more than a minute. It doesn't take long for someone to open your car door and snag a bag. If you have to leave something, put it in the trunk. It takes longer to open and since it's not visible, it's not tempting to would-be thieves.
• If you don't have a car alarm, get one, or get a blinking light that looks like an alarm and put it on your dashboard. Often, a little deterrent like this goes a long way.
• Park in well-lit areas, or install a motion detector light near where you park. Thieves don't like light.

What to do if your car has been broken into:

• Call police as soon as you discover it's been broken into. Police say it's helpful for them to know where potential crime may be happening, even if nothing appears stolen from your car. And the sooner you report it, the better. Reporting an incident may help police warn neighbors so it doesn't happen to them.
• If a window was broken or there's damage, take a photo.
• Make note of what's missing.
• Police will ask you if you want to file a report. Your insurance company may need a copy of the report if there's damage.

Patch reporter Jenna Fisher can be reached at Jenna.Fisher@patch.com or by calling 617-942-0474. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram (@ReporterJenna).