Did you know it takes less than 30 seconds for someone to break into a car, steal what is in plain view, check the usual hiding places for any other items, and get away? Most car burglaries happen at night while the vehicle is parked outside of the victim's residence! Some burglars even target parked vehicles in parking lots while their owners are at work, at a park, the gym, in class, or shopping. They think the owner won’t return to their car for a long time so they believe the likelihood of being caught is low, but that is not always the case.
How Can I Prevent an Auto-Burglary?
- Do not leave any valuables in your car. Thieves look for purses, wallets, phones, laptops, GPS systems and anything worth money that they can easily sell. Even items that aren’t as valuable such as shopping bags, clothes, and other miscellaneous items are all attractive to a thief because of the possibility that they might be covering something that is, so don’t leave them visible either.
- Always lock your car doors, even if you are just running into the store for something quickly. Thieves will walk down a row of parked vehicles or a side street and tug on door handles to see if they are unlocked.
- Make sure all car windows and sunroofs are closed before locking your car. Not only will thieves reach in through an open window, and unlock the car doors with a coat hanger, but open windows may disable the sensor in some car alarms, making the vehicle much more vulnerable to break into and potentially allowing more time for the thieves to steal before the car alarm sounds.
- Do not leave packages or shopping bags visible — keep them in the trunk and out of sight if you absolutely have to leave them in your car.
- Once you arrive home, unload your valuables immediately. Don’t ever store them in your car, and certainly never overnight.
- Don’t ever leave your debit or credit cards, mail or other important paperwork in your car, especially in a visible spot. If those are stolen, you are at risk for identity theft.
- Do not attach any personal information or license plate number to your car keys, if they are stolen, a criminal may have access to your home, car or office.
- Always try to park in busy, well-traveled and well-lighted areas. Burglars prefer breaking into cars in areas that do not attract attention and where they will not be seen so avoid parking in large anonymous lots.
What Should I do if I See Something or Someone Suspicious?
If you see a suspicious person or action in your community, call the local police right away at their non-emergency phone number, or if the situation requires emergency response, call 911. Be sure to provide a detailed description of the suspicious person or vehicle, such as:
- Age
- Appearance
- Height & Weight
- Hair/Facial hair
- Clothing
- Auto make, model, color, license plate
- Direction of travel
- Activity
What Should I Do if Someone Steals My Personal or Banking Information?
- If your credit card(s) or wallet is stolen, file a police report in the jurisdiction where your items were stolen immediately.
- Report the theft to your financial institution advising of all information that was stolen including theft of checks, debit cards and IDs as they can lead to unauthorized transactions from your bank account(s).
To learn more about other scams to avoid and for more tips to help protect your personal and financial information, check out our other blogs on Privacy & Cybersecurity. If you believe your information has been compromised or you think you are a victim of identity theft, we’re here to help! Contact us at 866-224-1379.