Once again, the nice summer weather is upon us and with it comes the excitement of getting out to our favorite recreation spots to enjoy the long, warm days. Spokane Valley Police Crime Prevention Deputy Chris Johnston and Spokane County Sheriff’s Crime Prevention Deputy David Morris would like to remind everyone that our vehicles are targets for thieves who want to steal your property!
Here are some simple ways that you can avoid being the victim of a vehicle prowler:
-Lock your car. Lock your car. Lock your car! MANY vehicles that are entered or stolen are left unlocked, and even have the keys left in them. Put windows all the way up, lock all doors, and take your keys with you.
-Park smart. Try to park in areas with a high volume of foot traffic, close to buildings, windows, etc. Also, during hours of darkness, try to park in well-lit areas. If a bad guy thinks he might be seen, he/she may select a different “target” in order to avoid detection.
-Last, but not least, remember this simple rule: ANY items left in your car are attractive to criminals. Don’t leave purses, wallets, shopping bags, phones, iPods, GPS units, sunglasses, or even loose change out in open view. It’s best, of course, to leave these items at home. If you must leave them in your vehicle, do your best to hide them so they can’t easily be seen from outside the vehicle. Many victims have reported only being away from the vehicle for “a few minutes”. It only takes a matter of seconds for a thief to enter a vehicle and remove items!
As always, please report any suspicious activity by calling Crime Check at 456-2233, or 911 if you see a potential crime in progress. Be safe everyone!
Visit our Crime Prevention webpage for additional information http://www.spokanecounty.org/1376/Crime-Prevention-Unit
• Contact Spokane Valley Police Crime Prevention Deputy Chris Johnston at 509-477-2592
• Contact Spokane County Sheriff’s Crime Prevention Deputy David Morris at 509-477-6044