The Vanderburgh County Sheriff’s Office would like to make residents aware of a crime trend that our Criminal Investigations Section has been tracking since the beginning of November.
Seven (7) vehicle entries have been recently reported to the Sheriff’s Office, all of which occurred overnight in the Keystone, Windemere Farms, Camden Farms and Wynnfield subdivisions. Residential areas, especially subdivisions, are frequent targets due to the high concentration of parked vehicles and the lack of traffic during the late night and early morning hours.
Locked cars are almost always bypassed by thieves, who tend to favor the quick access afforded by an unlocked door. Breaking a window makes noise and defeating a lock takes time, both are factors which increase the chance a thief will be observed. Once a thief is inside a vehicle, spare change and easily carried items such as electronics, prescription medication and cell phones are most commonly taken.
The Sheriff’s Office offers these tips to minimize the risk of becoming a victim of such a theft:
- Unsecure firearms, medication, credit cards and money should never be kept in the vehicle when not occupied.
- Avoid leaving valuables inside a vehicle, but if necessary secure these items in a locked glove box or trunk.
- Never leave your car unlocked, not even in your driveway.
- Park in a well lit area or under a motion activated light.
- If you park outside, do not store a garage door opener in your vehicle. If your vehicle is broken into, the thief now has access to your garage and house.
Many people do not report these types of thefts believing that nothing can be done. The Sheriff’s Office strongly encourages anyone who is the victim of a crime to report it. If you believe your vehicle has been entered and items taken please do not touch anything on or inside the car. If you locate items from your vehicle somewhere else such as on the ground, again refrain from touching them. Call 911 and the responding deputies can assess the possibility of recovering evidence.
Persons with information regarding these thefts are asked to contact the Sheriff’s Office at (812) 421-6339 or go online to the Sheriff’s Office website at www.vanderburghsheriff.comwhere a tip may be left anonymously.
