The Carson City Sheriff's Office reports an uptick in vehicle burglaries around town and asks residents to take pro-active measures to avoid becoming victims.
According to Sgt. Darrin Sloan, the sheriff's office looks at each case to identify patterns to help thwart this type of crime, but lately, patterns are not showing themselves.
There are, however, numerous vehicle burglary cases that have aspects in common, including unlocked doors, open windows and valuables left in plain view, said Sloan in a news release.
The Sheriff's Office reminds residents to lock car doors and keep windows up when leaving your vehicle. If you have valuables that you must leave in the vehicle, then do not leave them in plain sight and use the trunk whenever possible.
Here is a list of the most common items that are taken in vehicle burglaries:
— Navigation aid-GPS equipment
— Laptop computers
— iPod, MP3 players
— Purse and wallets
— Cameras
— Cell phones
— Hand tools
— Sun glasses
— CDs
Most vehicle burglaries are a crime opportunity, explains Sloan. A perceived value of an item left in an unattended vehicle is a lure to crime. If there is a bag or a box left in plain sight, then it could be why a vehicle is targeted for burglary. That bag or box might have nothing inside of it, but it might look like it does.
"Please keep anything that might look like it is valuable in the trunk or hidden in the car," said Sloan. "When you get home or to work, take valuables out."
There have been numerous vehicle burglaries at local health fitness clubs. This is primarily because customers do not take their purses or wallets inside to work out, said Sloan.
"Again, prevention is using your trunk or take the items with you inside and use a locker to store your valuables," said Sloan.
The Carson City Sheriff's Office continues to ask the community to help with fighting crime. If you see someone looking into cars or wandering around areas where vehicles are parked, call dispatch to report the suspicious activity, said Sloan.
"Some of our best cases solved have come from the citizens reporting suspicious behavior or something that does not look right," he said.
To report any suspicious activities in your neighborhood, contact the Sheriff's Office Dispatch center at (775) 887-2008 or in an emergency dial 911.