Police Wrap: Don’t make it easy for thieves to ‘test’ your cars

There has been a rise in thieves targeting cars in Geraldton recently, so I’d like to share some simple tips to help keep your belongings safe and secure.

Over the past week, police were called on an almost daily basis to incidents across the city in which unoccupied cars were broken into and valuables stolen.

It may seem hard to believe, but a lot of these cases occurred because cars were left unlocked.

Time and time again we’ve seen offenders roaming the streets testing car doors and looking for the easiest targets.

While it’s a shame this is occurring within our community, we all need to take some steps to avoid crime and avoid our day being ruined by heartless thieves.

The simplest way to do this is by making your car less desirable to thieves by taking your personal items with you, or if you absolutely must leave valuables in the car, hide them out of site in the boot or away from prying eyes.

Better yet, leave them at home when you go out. On Saturday we saw fishing gear taken from the roof of a car when its owner was having a meal at a hotel while his car was in the carpark.

It may seem like a no-brainer, but removing the temptation will save you the headache in the long run.

Another tip is keeping your vehicle away off the street at night. This might not be feasible, but if you can, park in a lockable garage or in your backyard.

Last but not least, make sure all your doors and windows are locked.

It’s an easy mistake to make, and thieves will take advantage of it if they are not locked.

“If we all do our bit to make it harder for thieves to prosper in our community, we all benefit.”

Sen. Sgt Jason Scragg is officer-in-charge of Geraldton Police Station