Auto Safety Information from the 112 Precinct

Heidi Chain is the president of the 112 Precinct Community Council. 

Recently, a number of people in our community had their possessions taken from their cars. In one instance, there is  a video of a criminal trying every door of every car parked on one block.  

BE SURE THAT YOU LOCK YOUR CAR DOOR. If  the door can just be opened- someone is going to take what you have in the car.It will really happen. It has happened to lots of our neighbors. In one instance the person left an extra set of keys in the car and their information in the car.

Another one of our neighbors left a copy of their social security card in their car. DO  NOT LEAVE your information in your car.

DO NOT LEAVE shopping packages in your car parked in the community. There are people who are breaking into cars and taking the contents. As the weather is colder there are people who warm up their cars and leave the car running on the street with the keys inside. This way of warming up the car – while you are doing other things---is an open invitation for someone to steal the car. 

Here are some tips from the 112th precinct on how to protect your car and your possessions in your car        

• Do not leave your car running and walk away from the car ( this includes at an ATM, convenience store, or outside your apartment or house)
• Make sure when you leave your car you have your keys with you. Do not leave the keys in the car.
• Lock your car
• Put on the Alarm
• Do not leave valuables in sight in the car
• Do not leave Global Positioning Systems in the car
• Do not leave the attachment for the GPS on the dashboard
• Never hide a second set of keys in the car
• Park in a well lighted area. If a street light is out – try not to park by that light. Call 311 so that the light can be fixed.
• Close the windows of the car when you leave it. An open window makes it easier for the thief
• Do not leave your registration in the car
• Take advantage of the precinct free Vin etching of your car