Yarmouth PD offers tips to avoid vehicle break-ins

YARMOUTH – Even though the Yarmouth Police Department has had no recent reports of vehicle break-ins, it wants to remind everyone that these types of crimes tend to occur during this time of the year

The Department offers the following tips to protect yourself from having your car broken into and your personal property stolen:

Never leave anything visible inside your vehicle. This is the single most important thing you can do to prevent your car window from being smashed and your valuables stolen.

GPS units (always wipe off the suction cup ring on your windshield – that ring is a dead give-away to a thief that a GPS device is inside your vehicle. GPS units are the most common items stolen during a car break-in.

Handbags, purses, wallets, gym bags and briefcases are the second most-stolen items during a car break-in followed by cell phones, MP3 players, radar detectors, stereo face plates, satellite radio receivers, CDs, DVDs, laptops and cases.

Chargers (even if you hide your electronics, if the thief sees the charger, he’ll break into the car on the assumption that the GPS, cell phone or MP3 player is hidden under your seat, in an interior compartment or inside your trunk.

Loose change – to some your spare change is a fortune. A car thief will break your window to steal your 73 cents out of the vehicle cup holder or ashtray.

Park in a well-lit location with large amounts of foot traffic. Avoid parking on an isolated side street.

Roll up your car windows all the way, and lock your doors. Engage your car alarm, but understand that car alarms do not deter thieves from breaking into your vehicle. The amount of time necessary for a thief to break into your vehicle and steal your property is less than 30 seconds, not enough time for them to be scared away by the alarm.

What to do if you see a car break-in in progress:

Call 911 or the Yarmouth Police Department directly (508) 775-0445 and report the incident.

When talking to the dispatcher, try to give as much information as possible, specifically:

LOCATION of the incident: Address, cross streets, or specific location inside a parking lot

DESCRIPTION OF THE SUSPECT: Provide as much information as possible, such as sex, race, age, height, weight, hair color and length, color and length of facial hair, colors and style of clothing, identifying marks such as tattoos or piercings, etc.

DIRECTION: Give the direction of travel if the thief flees. If the thief flees in a vehicle, give the description of the vehicle, and attempt to provide a license plate.

DESCRIPTION OF THE VICTIM’S VEHICLE. Give the color, make, model, and license plate for the vehicle (if available).

Media release provided by the Yarmouth Police Department

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