NYPD’s Crime Prevention Tip of the Week: Keep Thieves Out of Your Car

Cars can be targets for thieves — they are expensive and valuable items that just in the street all day and night.

But, if a thief is looking for an easier thing to steal then your car’s contents, which are just sitting there behind a piece of glass, is also a good target.

This week in our police blotter, a car got boosted from its parking spit on 12th Street and another car’s tires and rims were stolen. But, we have all reported on many incidents were a crook smashed a car window and looted its contents. Back in Sept., a crook smashed a van’s window parked near the Prospect Park Zoo and stole a goldmine of electronics, cash, jewelry and sports equipment, worth almost $8,000.

Below you can find some good tips to keep your belongings safe in your car.

Little Things Can Send a BIG Message....

In crime prevention, little things can mean a lot. Take, for example you car's cigarette lighter or power outlet. It may not look like much to you, but it can send an important signal to thieves.

Some criminals look at the dashboards of cars. If they see the cigarette lighter is missing or the cover is open on the power outlet, they figure there is at least a possibility that it has been taken out to accommodate a battery charger or power adapter for an electronic device. They're willing to take a chance that the device is not far away — maybe stored in the glove box or center console. 

So, when they don't see a cigarette lighter in a car, some thieves will break the passenger side window, and search it, hoping to find some valuables inside. If you don't have anything, the criminal will just move on, looking for another opportunity. But, he or she has left behind a mess of broken and shattered glass for you to clean up, and a colossal headache until you get the car repaired.

Don't give criminals an opportunity. Whether or not you have anything, keep that cigarette lighter just where it belongs and the cover closed on those accessory outlets when you leave your car. If you do, you're much less likely to encounter an unwelcome surprise when you return. 

For more information on preventing theft, or for other crime prevention and personal safety tips visit our website: http://www.nypdcommunityaffairs.org/.