Guess what? The Grinch doesn’t just want to steal your Christmas this year . . . . . he also wants your car, your purchases, your property, and your identity!
Every two minutes, a vehicle is burglarized in Texas and the contents stolen. These crimes escalate during the holiday season when people shop more often and are more likely to leave items within view inside vehicles. And to make matters worse, thieves won’t necessarily stop with taking your vehicle and the things inside. They may also look for personal documents that can help them steal your identity or tell them where you live so they can rob you of additional belongings at your home. In other words, the theft or burglary of your vehicle may simply be a gateway to the commission of additional crimes.
According to the Texas Auto Burglary and Theft Prevention Authority (ABTPA), a division of the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles, thieves committed 263,479 acts of vehicle burglary in 2010 and stole 68,219 vehicles in Texas. In some jurisdictions, more than half of thefts occurred because vehicle doors were unlocked and keys were left inside.
“We know auto burglars scout malls, shopping centers, entertainment venues, and other business parking lots this time of year looking for opportunities to break into vehicles. Drivers need to understand that almost anything they leave inside their vehicles could be valuable to a thief. And when vehicles are left unlocked and unattended, thieves have easy access to everything they see inside, which in many cases includes gifts, purses, wallets, packages, electronics, garage door openers, keys, and personal information,” said Michelle Lanham, program manager for ABTPA’s Reduce Auto Theft in Texas (RATT) public awareness task force at the University of North Texas Dallas Caruth Police Institute.
The Texas ABTPA recommends that drivers take simple precautions to significantly decrease the chances they’ll become vehicle burglary and theft victims. ABTPA offers three basic safety tips to motorists to help prevent vehicle crimes during the holidays and throughout the year: HIDE, LOCK, AND TAKE — remove belongings from view, lock vehicles, and take keys. In addition to practicing the “hide, lock, take” philosophy, drivers should park in areas that are well-lit, near surveillance cameras, and near heavy foot and vehicle traffic. The more thieves feel threatened by detection, the less likely they are to focus on targets in such vulnerable areas.
