Prevent vehicle burglary at home: Take, Lock, Hide

Posted Dec. 29, 2010

Everyone knows that leaving valuables visible in a parked car — especially an unlocked one — is an open invitation to thieves. We know it at the mall, but often we forget at home.

There were more than 24,000 vehicle break-ins in Tarrant County during 2009, and though residents are getting better at taking precautions in public places, the number of break-ins in neighborhoods is on the rise countywide.

Neighborhood vehicle break-ins can cause even bigger problems than a break-in at a shopping center. If you keep a spare set of house keys or a garage door opener in your car, the thief easily can gain access to your home.

A joint county task force, the Tarrant Auto Task Force, now is using the same strategy used to prevent auto theft to help crack down on burglary — the COBRA Bait Car Program. The program places vehicles equipped with cameras in areas where burglaries are likely, and when the thieves take the bait, officers have pictures of the suspects and can identify them easily.  Fort Worth Police Department participates in the Task Force with two detectives assigned to the COBRA Program and coordinated by the department’s Auto Theft Unit.  

Even with this added enforcement, the best way to stop vehicle burglary is to take steps to prevent it from happening in the first place:

• Take your valuables, keys, bags and other items with you when you leave your car.
• Hide anything that you must leave in your car so that it cannot be seen from the window.
• Lock your car no matter how long you plan to be away from it.
• Do not leave your car running unattended.
• Mark your property with the Police Department’s free RAPIDS program.

By taking these precautions, you can make a big difference in decreasing auto burglary and protect your possessions at the same time