NEWS24-680 noted a decided uptick in car thefts and burglaries throughout our respective valleys in recent days, from Danville to Moraga. We don’t like to come off as pedants but we couldn’t help but notice that a great many thefts were occurring from unlocked cars with valuables plainly visible inside.
We’ve counseled against this practice in the past and we don’t want to nag so we weren’t going to say anything until Lafayette police reported being hit hard by car thieves Tuesday morning alone.
Chief Eric Christensen and his crew of crime fighters forwarded photos of cars vandalized in an effort to steal items left inside or in an apparent attempt to take the entire car and they asked for help in identifying the culprits.
As the entire expanse of our area of coverage has been impacted, we thought we would pass the chief’s message along and make it applicable to neighboring jurisdictions, too.
Lafayette police investigated two car break-ins and an attempted car theft, with two cars parked in the 3300 block of Moraga Blvd. vandalized and items taken, he said, and a car on Kelley Court had its door handle ripped off and ignition system exposed during an apparent attempt to make off with the entire vehicle.
Christensen asked residents with home surveillance systems in those areas to call police if they captured images of suspicious cars or persons in those areas. He also said thieves appear to be targeting older cars with easier to defeat security systems and cars left unlocked and with backpacks, computers, and other items visible inside.
Moraga police have also noted similar occurrences in recent days, with thefts reported on Betlin Pl., Ascot Dr., Woodford Dr., and Buckingham Dr. In several of those cases the cars involved were also left unlocked, according to police.
If you have information about these break-ins call your local police department. And if you park your car outside you may want to take your valuables into the house with you and lock the car after you do. Don’t make us nag.
If you’re going to make it easy for them just leave a sign on the windshield that says “take anything you want just don’t break my windows.”
Prop 47
It must be tough for people you don’t have a garage. You really take your chances leaving your car out overnight. Seems to be more than just kids looking for spare change.
Yeh I don’t think this is the work of bored kids looking for beer money. This has a more organized feel to it.
@Lori – I don’t park in my garage but I don’t have this problem because I’m not stupid. I don’t leave items of value in my car.
@tom – it really doesn’t matter. They broke in and stole our road maps. Lucky we don’t keep our registration and other papers in the car because they steal those too. I see people leaving computers and purses and nice Nordstrom or Tiffany bags in plain site all the time. I think that’s why the thieves come here to steal. We have stuff and we don’t lock it up.