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• Car burglaries are very difficult cases to solve as there is usually very little physical evidence left behind after one has occurred. The crimes usually occur in the early morning hours in apartment or business parking lots when it is less likely the thieves will be seen. In order to help reduce the risk of becoming a victim of a car burglary we have provided some easy tips to follow.
  
  ALWAYS close your windows and lock your car doors. An open window or unlocked door is an invitation to a criminal.
• Park in well lit areas close to the building. While parking in an isolated spot may reduce the risk of door dings, a criminal looks for cars parked out of the way in order to help ensure less attention is drawn to them.
• ALWAYS remove loose valuables from your vehicle. This includes, purses, wallets, cellular phones, laptop computers, and briefcases. A car burglar loves to see items that can be grabbed easily and carried away without much effort. A brick through the window is all it takes to gain access to those loose items.
• Report suspicious persons seen wandering around in parking lots or looking into cars as they walk by. Don’t hesitate to call 911 to report suspicious persons, you can even call and remain anonymous.
• Keep a list of serial numbers for your commonly used electronic equipment. Even if you plan on never leaving a cellular phone or laptop computer in your car, you should record all of the following information:

• Make of Item: (Motorola, Ericson, Compaq, etc.)
• Model Number
• Serial Number

Having this information available is necessary in order to enter the items into the computer database. This will aid the police in trying to locate the items if the offender(s) are found with them or if they are pawned. This will also ensure the property is returned to the rightful owner.

These simple steps should be used whenever you park your car, whether you are just “running in for a minute” or parking for the evening. If you would like any more information on car burglaries or other police matters, please contact the Mount Prospect Police Department Crime Prevention Unit at 870-5650.