Understanding Car Prowling

 

As with most urban areas, Sumner has seen an increase in car prowls of late.  A car prowl refers to theft from a vehicle and / or property damage that occurs while trying to gain access to a vehicle.  Statistically, you are more likely to be the victim of a vehicle crime than any other type of crime.  Most car prowls take less than two minutes, but the damage done to locks and windows, as well as the cost of stolen items, can be very expensive.  Additionally, car prowls have become a source for personal information or access devices which are used to commit other crimes such as identity theft and fraud. 

 

Reduce Your Risk of Being a Victim

 

The cheapest form of defense is to simply employ the anti-theft devices that are standard on every car: locks.  Lock your car and take your keys.  The following are additional recommendations to reduce your risk of being a victim of a car prowl or theft:

 

1. Be aware of your surroundings.  When you exit or enter your parked vehicle, stop and take a look around the area. 

 

2. Never leave your car running unattended – even for a minute. 

 

3. Make it a habit before leaving your car to always remove the keys, roll up the windows, and lock the doors.

 

4. If you park on the street or outside a garage, choose a well lit, open space.  Add additional yard lighting and trim back trees or bushes that block your view of your car.

 

5. Consider replacing the light fixture closest to your car with a motion sensor unit.  Motion sensors are good psychological deterrents since the normal assumption of a person seeing a light come on is that someone is watching them. 

 

6. Never leave valuables or purses in the car.  If you must, make sure that nothing of value is within plain view.  Even loose change can be an enticement to some thieves. 

 

7. If it is feasible, consider installing a car alarm.  Look for alarms that have the option of adjusting the sensitivity, as a car with an over sensitive alarm often gets ignored by neighbors when it goes off.

 

8. Be aware of where you leave a garage door opener.  There’s been more than one case of a thief gaining access to a house through an attached garage by using a garage door opener left in a car outside. 

 

9. If you become the victim of a car prowl, be sure to contact the police to report the crime.  Give a detailed description of the items stolen.  If checks, financial records, or credit cards were stolen, contact issuers immediately to cancel accounts.