Local News
Police offer tips to help prevent car break-ins, help catch thieves
Car break-ins have been rampant in recent weeks and impacted residents in the metro area from Cherokee and Cobb counties to Atlanta, where even a Georgia Bureau of Investigation agent was a victim.
Here are some tips from police to help prevent break-ins and and catch thieves.
- Cops say they can't repeat this enough: Don't leave valuables in the car.
- If you must leave valuables in your vehicle, lock them in the trunk or hide it. Do not leave it in plain view.
- Keep cars clean and clear of clutter to show that nothing of value exists to steal. Remove bags, especially gym bags, even if they only contain smelly clothes because the thief may break the car window to check them out. "We actually had a guy who broke into a car where somebody had left a (brief case)," said Cobb Officer Alicia Chilton. "It was actually a Bible and Sunday school material."
- Upgrade alarms to include glass sensors so it will sound off if a window or other glass is broken. Standard alarms aren't triggered if the glass breaks, which enables thieves to enter through the window, said Sgt. Warren Pickard of the Atlanta Police department.
- Lock your car.
- Don't get into your car until police can process the crime scene and dust for fingerprints.
- Park in lighted areas and if you see something suspicious or strange people, call police. "If you see something that doesn't seem right give us a call," Chilton said.
- Call police immediately after a break-in. Pickard noted APD has arrested 201 people for car larceny this year, often because eye-witness testimony allowed them to track down people still in the area. He said arrests are up 10 percent for car larcenies this year.
