Car Crime: What's In Plain Sight is a Thief's Delight

Most crimes are committed because of opportunity. Take breaking into cars as an example. From outside the car, you can normally see items on the inside in plain view.  Now let’s say you have a CD case lying on the front seat. Numerous stores will pay upwards of $4 for a used CD. So it’s pretty convenient for a thief to smash a window, take a case of CDs, and make some quick cash.

Police blotters list many car break-ins. This is partly because people don’t take the necessary precautions to protect their valuables, and often present thieves with an opportunity to burglarize their cars quickly and without detection. A thief looks into a car and sees some valuables.  Then he or she smashes a window, grabs the stuff, and is gone. GPS systems, CDs, brief cases, prescriptions, expensive sunglasses, and even small amounts of change are all inviting to a thief when left in plain view.

But there is an easy way to keep yourself from becoming a victim of this type of crime: Just don’t leave anything in plain site within your vehicle. If a would-be thief looks into your car and sees nothing, he or she will usually move on quickly to the next vehicle. This may seem like common sense, but go ahead and glance into some cars the next time you are walking through a parking lot. I think you will be surprised by the number and kind of valuables that you will see.

In less than 30 seconds, a thief can use a window punch that is about the size of a ball point pen to shatter a window, reach into a car, unlock the door, and remove any valuables in sight. In about that same amount of time, you can secure your valuables out of sight, and greatly reduce your odds of becoming a victim. The choice seems obvious.