St. Charles police: Thwart would-be burglars - lock your car doors
The St. Charles Police Department has received reports of several burglaries in the area from cars over the past few weeks. They would like to remind residents, when cars are parked outside to:
• Always lock car doors;
• Hide valuables/purses;
• Never leave house keys in the car;
• Close all windows completely.
Most thefts from vehicles involve items left in plain view. If you must keep your things in the car, be sure to stow them away so they are out of sight. As a precaution, remove any detachable stereos, GPS devices, garage door openers, etc., when you leave your vehicle.
"Car burglaries can be very quick. Thieves can be in and out of a car in under a minute," said St. Charles Police Commander of Investigations Chuck Pierce. "Cars parked in driveways overnight and left unlocked provide opportunities for thieves who move quietly and do not want to draw attention to themselves. However, cars parked in large, open parking lots during the day, such as at shopping centers or large recreational events, that have valuables left out in the open can entice thieves to break car windows to steal the items."