January 30, 2007

Increases of larcenies from motor vehicles are reported to the Virginia Beach Police Department, and many more go unreported.  In approximately half of the cases reported to police, victims state they left their vehicles unlocked with valuables, such as purses, laptops, and electronic equipment, in plain sight.  When personal information is stolen, these crimes can lead to more serious crimes, such as identity theft, burglary, or even crimes of violence when a criminal discovers where the victim resides.

Criminals always look for an “easy target.”  By taking a few simple precautions, you can reduce your likelihood of becoming a victim of theft:

• Always lock up your vehicle and take your keys with you.
• Make sure all valuables are out of sight, preferably locked in the trunk.  Criminals often break out windows to get to valuables they see inside locked vehicles.
• Never leave personal information in your vehicle.
• Park in well-lighted, easily visible areas at night.
• Immediately report any suspicious persons or behavior (e.g. individuals looking into parked vehicles) to 911 Emergency Communications.

This entry was posted on Saturday, February 3rd, 2007 at 7:30 pm and is filed under Hampton Roads. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.