No matter what county or city you live in, property crimes have risen.  One such property crime is theft of items from vehicles. Here are some helpful hints on how to avoid being a victim of a larceny from vehicle.

Always lock your car.  Whether you are at the mall, work, or home, always lock your car.  Lock the car even if you don’t have anything in it for a criminal to take.  The thieves could always take your car or hide inside and wait on you to get in.  You may have cash, credit cards, house keys, or other items they will take from YOU.

Never leave any valuables visible.  Never leave packages, purses, or money lying on the seats or between the seats.  DO NOT leave your garage door opener in the car. A thief can steal your garage opener and drive around the neighborhood hitting the button until your garage door opens.  If you leave your wallet or registration in the car, the suspect will know your address; go directly to your house; and use the garage door opener to enter your home.

Park your car inside the garage if possible.  Most criminals ride around looking for easy opportunities.  When you leave your car unlocked in the driveway with valuables sitting on the seat, you are providing criminals an easy opportunity.

Adding sensor lights on your house will keep subjects away who do not want to be seen. Sensor lights come on automatically when an object passes in its path.  They are fairly easy to install and relatively inexpensive.

The best way to prevent crime is to know your neighbors and your neighborhood.  Being a nosy neighbor is the best way to stop crime.  If you see something suspicious, emergency or not, CALL 911!!  When you are familiar with your neighborhood you will now if the activity is suspicious. You know what right looks like, so if it looks wrong CALL 911!!  Don’t be the second part of the wrong.

Don’t wait until you are the victim to lock your car, or to CALL 911; the police are there for that reason.  Do not assume your neighbor will call 911; you must call 911.  The more calls the police receive, the faster the response.  You may prevent a crime just by having an officer come out.  If you call 911, ask to see an officer.  Asking to see an officer gets the officer to your house, patrolling your streets, and puts a crime prevention element in your neighborhood.