Auto Burglary - Do Your Part to Prevent It!
By: Sgt. R. Thomas Hopkins, Public Information Officer

Each day, hundreds of vehicles are broken into in South Florida. The thieves who commit these acts are stealing anything from auto parts, car stereos, CD's, purses, money, handguns, computers, luggage, packages, anything of value. Many times, numerous vehicles will be broken into in a short period of time by the same individual or group. These are usually committed in places such as the mall or retail, hotel, apartment parking lots, anywhere where a large group of cars are parked. A vast majority of these auto burglaries are perpetrated by teenage and young adults who roam about looking for potential targets.

The burglar will enter your vehicle by several different means. These include an open window or unlocked door. In most cases though, the window is smashed by a tool or implement. Convertibles and Jeeps are susceptible by simply slicing through the roof. Thieves will also access your trunk by entering your car and then engaging the trunk release. Most locked glove compartments are easily pried open.

Auto burglaries alone are costing South Floridians millions of dollars annually in lost property and vehicle damage. Although the act of breaking into cars will never completely cease, I offer the following precautions in the hopes of keeping you from becoming a victim.

	Always lock your vehicle
	Install an audible alarm which will set off if the vehicle is molested
	Do not leave valuables in your car or visible in your car
	Easily visible items are better left in the trunk (lock the trunk release if possible)
	Park intelligently in areas of good lighting, security and/or heavy traffic
	Do not openly display items of value when entering your car (some thieves will follow you from the store or the bank looking for their opportunity)
	Beware of leaving valuables in your car when using a valet or car wash.

The Sunny Isles Beach Police Department is urging its residents and visitors to call the police if they see suspicious activity such as individuals seen meandering through an area looking into vehicles, no matter what time of day. Recently, a local parking lot had a total of eighteen (18) vehicles broken into in a relatively short time. This was not an isolated incident. It is occurring time and time again throughout South Florida and in most metropolitan areas.

Please do what you can to prevent these crimes. Your Police Department will endeavor to both prevent the crime and apprehend those individuals responsible for committing them.

 

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