A friendly reminder again about leaving valuables in your vehicles, please do not leave items of value in your vehicles to include wallets, purses, garage door openers, Laptops, ipads, iPods, cell phones, GPS and especially firearms. Any bag that looks like something may be inside could tempt a thief enough to break into your car. There have been some cases recently in the La Jolla area where thieves are accessing the garage and the house via the garage so please lock the door between the garage and the interior of your home and please lock all windows and sliding doors.
Please be good neighbors and watch out for each other. Report suspicious activity to the non-emergency dispatch.
Make them uncomfortable
Most theft is solitary work. The last thing thieves want is a crowd of onlookers with cell phones and pepper spray at the ready. So try to keep your car conspicuous:
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Park in busy lots and designated spaces, near pedestrian and vehicle traffic.
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If there’s a chance you’ll be away from your car after dusk, park in a well-lit area or near a lamppost.
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Choose a lot with an attendant over one without.
Make them work for it
The theft of small items from cars may yield the occasional bonanza (a wallet or laptop, for instance), but many thieves go for small items because of their inherent amusement value (your MP3 player or phone). What a thief wants is fun or a trickle of supplemental revenue for as little work as possible. By making your car a harder target for smash-and-grab theft, you make it less desirable. So:
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Always lock your doors and roll up your windows when you park.
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Activate your security system if you have one.
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Consider window tinting (if permitted by local laws), since it makes the act of casing your car more time-consuming and conspicuous.
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Avoid using the console or glove box as mobile lock boxes, since these are obvious to thieves, too.
Don’t hand them the keys
A key on the dash or in the ignition may propel the weak-willed or enterprising into outright auto theft. And keep in mind that if you have a great hiding place for a key – say, in your wheel well or above your sun visor – a thief has thought of it, too. Many times.
Move personal items ahead of time
While the trunk is better than the passenger compartment for shopping bags and laptops, an experienced thief will often stake out a parking lot and watch you transfer your valuables. Move things before you get to your destination, and you’re a step ahead of the game.
Be alert
See suspicious activity? Trust your instincts: Don’t park there. And don’t confront anyone yourself. If you’re really concerned, report your suspicions to an attendant or the police.