Abilene Police Department Warns Shoppers To Do More Than Lock Doors
By: Marlisa Goldsmith
Updated: December 13, 2011
"I Make sure my door is locked."
"I keep my vehicle locked."
"If it's anything real big, I'll put it in my trunk."
"Put it down in the seat and maybe cover it up."
These are all things that people have been doing for years, but it is not stopping your belongings from getting stolen.
Abilene Police Department Chief Stan Standridge explains, "A locked car is no longer a deterrent. The reality is the suspects will pop a window in a matter of seconds."
Which is something that happens quite frequently.
In fact, Abilene Police Department averages about 1,200 car burglaries a year.
"So what we've tried to do is tell everyone to remove their valuables from their cars," says Standridge.
Although APD is doing all they can, Chief Standridge is a little discouraged after reviewing the department's call sheets.
"We had a Garmen GPS stolen, we had over $400 dollars of cash stolen," Standridge lists.
He says, "They've got to work with us to remove those valuables from the cars in addition to locking their vehicles."
Which is what some are doing, particularly during this holiday season.
"We watch each other's back, like when we come out, we put our bags in between us and then we walk out to the car and I'll watch who's behind us, or he will, while we stick it in the trunk and then we go straight home," says Gloria Tafoya.
Tafoya says people are watching, even when you least expect it, which is why she avoids giving thieves that temptation.
"We're not trying to have somebody break into our car for something that is as little as a five dollar toy, ten dollar toy," says Tafoya.
No matter how expensive, or inexpensive the item, APD needs the help of citizens to help put an end to this problem.
Standridge says, "The only way this thing is going to work and the only way we are going to be effective at combating car burglaries is for our citizens to recognize is number one I have to lock my car, number two, I have got to remove the valuables completely from the car."
"I keep my vehicle locked."
"If it's anything real big, I'll put it in my trunk."
"Put it down in the seat and maybe cover it up."
These are all things that people have been doing for years, but it is not stopping your belongings from getting stolen.
Abilene Police Department Chief Stan Standridge explains, "A locked car is no longer a deterrent. The reality is the suspects will pop a window in a matter of seconds."
Which is something that happens quite frequently.
In fact, Abilene Police Department averages about 1,200 car burglaries a year.
"So what we've tried to do is tell everyone to remove their valuables from their cars," says Standridge.
Although APD is doing all they can, Chief Standridge is a little discouraged after reviewing the department's call sheets.
"We had a Garmen GPS stolen, we had over $400 dollars of cash stolen," Standridge lists.
He says, "They've got to work with us to remove those valuables from the cars in addition to locking their vehicles."
Which is what some are doing, particularly during this holiday season.
"We watch each other's back, like when we come out, we put our bags in between us and then we walk out to the car and I'll watch who's behind us, or he will, while we stick it in the trunk and then we go straight home," says Gloria Tafoya.
Tafoya says people are watching, even when you least expect it, which is why she avoids giving thieves that temptation.
"We're not trying to have somebody break into our car for something that is as little as a five dollar toy, ten dollar toy," says Tafoya.
No matter how expensive, or inexpensive the item, APD needs the help of citizens to help put an end to this problem.
Standridge says, "The only way this thing is going to work and the only way we are going to be effective at combating car burglaries is for our citizens to recognize is number one I have to lock my car, number two, I have got to remove the valuables completely from the car."
Comments
My car windows have been broken into so many times, yet nothing has ever been stolen, so I simply stopped locking my doors. I don’t leave anything of value in my car and with the doors unlocked if someone is curious they don’t have to smash my windows to find out there’s nothing there and I don’t have to pay $500 in repairs.
kevin c.
December 14, 2011 at 3:10 am
