Vehicle Burglaries
By: Jay Plyburn
Updated: November 30, 2010
It's finally the Christmas season...a time of year when gifts are purchased and a lot of money is spent. But make sure you don't leave any purchases in your car, because they might disappear.
It's a sad statistic, but every year around this time...car burglaries happen more frequently. And it's not just newly purchased Christmas gifts that are being stolen. Everything from your purse to your GPS can disappear, especially if they're left out in the open.
Some vehicles have alarms, but many do not. And with vehicle burglaries on the rise, the Midland Police Department is reminding everyone to be careful.
"During the holiday season...this is when the vehicle burglaries go up, and we need to get a message out to the citizens to take that extra time to lock their doors, to make sure that their valuable things are put away out of sight, out of mind," Larry Woodruff, Community Relations Officer with MPD, said.
It's a simple concept...a vehicle with valuables out in the open is more likely to be burglarized.
"Take them in the house or put them in the trunk or in the glove compartment. Firearms and things like that...they don't need to be kept in the vehicles anyway," Woodruff said.
The type of vehicle you drive doesn't really matter, and where it's parked makes no difference to the thieves. If there's something of value inside, they will try to steal it.
"A lot of times these guys...especially during the holidays...they're looking in cars just to see if any valuable things are inside of them. So they can either knock the window out, or if it's unlocked...just open up the door and reach and grab," Woodruff said.
Midland police will be stationed all over town this holiday season, trying to deter thieves from breaking into vehicles. But they can't be everywhere. So make sure you take all valuables out, especially at night time, and always lock your doors.
