Vehicle burglaries in Washoe County over the past five weeks have more than doubled from the same time period in 2019. From Sept 14. through Oct. 18 Washoe County Sheriff’s Office has taken 17 reports of vehicle burglaries.
WCSO said several handguns were reported stolen in the recent burglaries as well.
Sheriff Darin Balaam said the simplest solution to prevent a vehicle from being stolen is to lock the doors. He also suggests removing valuables and any handguns out of the car at night as well.
The Office reminds residents of these suggested prevention tips:
- Don’t leave valuables in the car. If you don’t need to take valuables with you for an outing, leave them safely at home. If valuables must be left in a vehicle, be sure to lock them in the trunk or glove compartment not under jackets or blankets behind the seat as that is one of the first places criminals look
- Leave no trace. Don’t leave any sign that there might be valuables hidden in a vehicle by leaving items such as docking stations or connector cables visible. Leave nothing in plain sight that might make the vehicle a target for thieves, not even loose coins
- Be sure to set the car alarm or anti-theft devices. These are still effective deterrents against criminals who are looking for the easiest target
- Keep windows completely closed. Partially open windows may make your vehicle an easier target for thieves
- Lock the door when leaving the car. Still one of the most common issues with vehicle burglaries
