Recent rash of thefts from cars has Ann Arbor police warning drivers to lock their doors
A recent rash of thefts from vehicles has Ann Arbor police — and other local law enforcement officials — reminding residents that taking simple precautions can prevent you from becoming a victim.
Most important: lock vehicle doors and put personal items in the trunk or take them inside.
Ann Arbor Police Department crime statistics for Sept. 26 to Oct. 2 show 17 reports of larceny from a vehicle, two reports of an attempted larceny from a vehicle and one vehicle theft. The week of Oct. 3-9, police took nine reports of thefts from vehicles.
Many thefts from vehicles are crimes of opportunity where people leave belongings in plain sight, police say.
Melanie Maxwell | AnnArbor.com
Ann Arbor Police Lt. Mark St. Amour said 17 reports in one week seems high, but "not too much above" a typical week. Any influx, officials say, might be due in part to an increase in the population and the number of vehicles parked in the city with college students back in town.
"We have 30-some-thousand extra people in town ... there are a lot more cars down in the streets," St. Amour said, and therefore more opportunity for these crimes to occur.
St. Amour said GPS units seem to be the item most often stolen from vehicles, followed by laptop computers. Though catalytic converters and air bags are sometimes stolen from vehicles, he said it's not too common in Ann Arbor.
Northfield Township police responded to five thefts from cars from Sept. 26 to Sept. 29. Among the items stolen were four GPS units, a radar detector, and a purse. Two more incidents occurred on Oct. 4, in which a license plate and a GPS unit were stolen.
"It comes and it goes in spurts. Over the recent weeks, it has been on the rise," said Northfield Township Police Lt. Tim Greene. "We are seeing a spike in (larceny from vehicles) but, prior to that, there had been a lull."
Greene said it's a crime of opportunity that can be hindered by locking vehicle doors.
"They have that, 'It's never going to happen to me,' (mentality) and unfortunately it does happen to them," he said. "An unlocked car with a GPS device is easy access for a criminal."
Deputies in Ypsilanti Township responded to two reports of theft from a vehicle in a 24-hour period from Oct. 6 to Oct. 7, according to the Washtenaw County Sheriff's Office — items stolen included a car stereo, laptop, and a GPS unit. And deputies in Superior Township responded to one such report in that time frame, when a GPS unit, TV, iPod, duffle bag and a Sirius satellite radio were stolen from a vehicle.
Deputies stationed in Scio Township responded to two reports of a stolen vehicle and three reports of larceny from a vehicle from Sept. 30 to Oct. 3. Among the items stolen were a pair of shoes, cash and two GPS systems.
Pittsfield Township police took to two reports of theft from a vehicle on Oct. 4 — a stereo, GPS unit, laptop, and CDs were stolen.
Pittsfield police handled three reports of larceny from a vehicle, one report of a stolen vehicle, and one report of an attempted stolen vehicle from Sept. 27 to Oct. 3. Items taken included a catalytic converter, a cell phone, GPS unit, iPod and other items.
And from Sept. 20 to Sept. 27, Pittsfield officers responded to six reports of larceny from a vehicle. Among the items stolen were a two GPS units, tires and rims, and two iPods, tools and a purse.
Pittsfield Township Deputy Police Director Gordy Schick said the township has actually experienced a decrease in the number of larceny reports overall in the past year. Township figures show 669 larceny reports from January through September, compared to 749 reports from January to September 2009.
Adele El-Ayoubi, an Ann Arbor Police crime analyst and crime prevention specialist, said some simple precautions, such as locking vehicle doors, closing windows and putting personal items in the trunk or otherwise out of sight can help prevent theft.
El-Ayoubi said some people may remember to hide their GPS units or cell phones, but leave the power cords or mount in plain view. She said it's important for people to replace the cigarette lighter in their vehicle after charging electronics, and if using a window mount for a GPS unit, remove the mount and wipe the window so no tell-tale smudge is left behind.
"A lot of vehicles are being entered through unlocked doors," she said. "A great majority of (incidents) have been where they leave doors unlocked and items in plain view."
Parking in populated, well-lit areas may also help. And, El-Ayoubi said, hide personal belongings before parking.
"The bags, the computers, and all that, try to put that in the trunk prior to parking it ... because there may be people watching," she said.
And a final word of advice: "If you don't want it stolen, don't leave it in the vehicle," St. Amour said.
Heather Lockwood is a reporter for AnnArbor.com. Reach her at heatherlockwood@annarbor.com or follow her on Twitter.
Comments
frozenhotchocolate
Mon, Oct 18, 2010 : 5:18 p.m.
what I do is leave the car unlocked and the keys in the ignition. that way the would be criminal thinks it is a bait car and then runs. locking doors makes one think that the inner contents are of value. also, don't own an expensive luxury car, then the criminal thinks you have items of value within, when in all actuality you spend more on your car payment then on your home which is in forclosure.
fremdfirma
Mon, Oct 18, 2010 : 3:08 p.m.
As I mentioned elsewhere, I work contract security in Ypsi, and most of this advice is sound, sure - but before mocking it one should consider that at night, the glow from a GPS left on can be seen nearly a quarter mile away, and it's a beacon for thieves. This is kind of one of my pet peeves, since people do occasionally leave them on, and I can't be everywhere at once, so help a workin stiff out here, will you?
herbal_tea
Mon, Oct 18, 2010 : 2:04 p.m.
So let me get this straight. Lock doors when leaving car... Why didn't I think of that earlier!?!! I knew I was in for a special day when my mom told me, "Don't forget to zip up your pants hunny" as I left the house. What a wonderful technological breakthrough! Thank you police and well done reporting this story chaps!
djacks24
Mon, Oct 18, 2010 : 1:46 p.m.
I live in Ypsi township. About a year ago there was an SUV parked across the street. It was a friend of my neighbors that comes over every Sunday night to visit. I seen through my Window someone on a bike with a hood rode up to the drivers door of the vehicle, stopped for a moment, then rode off. It was about 10pm and the weather seemed right for someone to have a hood up. I had just assumed the bike rider rode up to the car to talk to the driver. An hour later a Washtenaw County Sheriffs car was there taking an incident report. I walked out the tell them what I seen and saw broken glass on the ground next to the car. Apparently she left her GPS unit in plain sight giving the crook a reason to break the window and snatch it. Ironic part was her son happened to be a Washtenaw County Sheriffs Deputy and the responding officer even knew her son. On one hand I can see the police departments point about having common sense as unless caught in the act, these crimes are impossible to solve. Also, having to respond to incidents that involve peoples stupidity could delay their response to somewhere they could do some good. But on the other hand, its a numbers game and more unsolved crimes brings down their clearance rates -> http://www.annarbor.com/news/clearance-rates/.
boom
Mon, Oct 18, 2010 : 11:05 a.m.
I've been following the guidelines the police mentioned for years after having someone rifle through my car when it was parked in Dexter of all places. However, you would not believe the arguments I get from some people when I ask them to put their purse or handbag in the trunk. It takes 5 seconds, but I get the argument that nobody will break in and its not necessary. Now I just tell them they may not care about their purse, but I care about my car windows.
RoboLogic
Mon, Oct 18, 2010 : 10:38 a.m.
OK people listen up. I have some practical advise that will make your valuables harder to steal. Do not heed this advice if you are cheap or lazy. #1) Go to Staples or where ever and buy a laptop safe ($80-150). Make sure to take your laptop with you to see if it fits. Sizing is tricky. #2) Buy some lag or carriage bolts (4) 1/2- 3/4 inch in diameter by 3-5 inches long, with nuts and washers. #3) Drill 4 holes through the floor of the safe. Mark and drill 4 corresponding holes into the trunk of your vehicle to mate up to the bolt holes in the safe. BE CAREFUL you do not drill into the gas tank or any other object. Check your clearances and adjust bolt length as needed. #4) Bolt the laptop safe to the trunk. (If SUV or Crossover, place in cargo area and cover with blanky) #5) Tack weld the four nuts underneath to prevent their removal with a wrench. (Most auto shops worth anything have a welder) #6) Now put your valuables in the safe when needed. GPS, Radar Detector, Laptop, Firearm, etc. When a thief enters your car they usually pop the trunk release button because they know many people put valuables there. You can make this harder by cutting the wire behind the trunk release button so it does not work. You can still enter your trunk via key fob remote or the old fashioned way... using a key. If a thief manages to eye your trunk they will see the laptop safe and realize they do not have the things they need to get into it.... time and a torch. They need Fast, Quiet, and Easy. You have denied them that. LOL. The thief will either have to steal your entire vehicle, or walk away and target an easier mark. Trust me, there is always an easier mark. The world is full of lazy people. "Its just too much trouble to take the GPS off the dash every time I park my vehicle in a public area." Mr. Thief thanks you. With me-----------> ACCESS DENIED. Have a nice day.
stevek
Mon, Oct 18, 2010 : 9:50 a.m.
Maybe we could combine the posts from last week about thefts from shopping carts. When going to the store: Remove all valuables from the car. Strap all items around your neck. If the cord is long enough, slide your neck thru the GPS cord. Bolt or affix all valuables to the shopping cart. Hire a security guard to sit in your car when in the store. Obviously if we cannot figure out these basic theft deterrants, we deserve to have things stolen.
SillyTree
Mon, Oct 18, 2010 : 9:32 a.m.
I was waiting for the bus at Blake Transit Center when I heard a car alarm go off in the parking structure across the street. There was a police officer on a bicycle out in front of the transit center and the alarm did not even cause him to turn his head. I don't blame him. Car alarms are prevalent in society. They are constantly being heard in parking lots without a thief in sight. Their worth is minimal.
Jim
Mon, Oct 18, 2010 : 9:26 a.m.
I would just leave a rat trap in my glove box.
spm
Mon, Oct 18, 2010 : 9:25 a.m.
I had someone rifle through my glove compartment a few weeks ago. My 12 year old rusty car isn't worth stealing and I keep nothing in it worth taking. I guess the thieves realized that since nothing was taken, including the few pennies in my change bin. My question is, would they have smashed the window in if they couldn't have just opened the door?
LauraM
Mon, Oct 18, 2010 : 8:58 a.m.
I can't believe how often I see things sitting right on the passenger seats in plain view through the windows of cars as I am walking by, even purses.
ThaKillaBee
Mon, Oct 18, 2010 : 8:45 a.m.
I always drape a blanket over my valuables. No criminal mind can penetrate that level of security.
C6
Mon, Oct 18, 2010 : 8:44 a.m.
Oh no! My GPS is built right into the center stack of the dashboard, there for anyone who stoops to looking through my windows (yeah, there's a double meaning there), to see. Now I'm afraid to stop and park anywhere, even though the car locks and sets the alarm itself as I carry the "magic fob" away. I know now that I could never be safe from theft if I ever leave the car. I guess instead of stopping, I'll just keep on driving... I'm not sure you can protect those who have little or no common sense.
MorningGirl
Mon, Oct 18, 2010 : 8:37 a.m.
And if you lock the car, they break the window. One police officer told me it was better to leave my car unlocked if there is nothing of value in it; then the thieves can find out for themselves.
A2K
Mon, Oct 18, 2010 : 7:54 a.m.
We had someone go through our glove box and storage bin in our car in the Dicken neighborhood this past week. Whomever did it (fortunately)didn't mess up our vehicle in any way -- they were likely looking for money/ipod so I assume that they were younger in age.
Killroy
Mon, Oct 18, 2010 : 7:28 a.m.
Many folks forget that A2 is a city with big city crime. Add to this the economic disaster that has befallen us and it easy to see why we have a rise in property crimes. Having lived in Chicago and New York, I can attest to the need of hiding everything of value within your car, whether its in a locked glove compartment, the trunk, or under seats. Thieves will shatter a window for spare change, so please beware.
SillyTree
Mon, Oct 18, 2010 : 7:13 a.m.
I don't always agree with the police, but I'm on their side here. When they investigae larceny from a vehicle, they ask about valuables left in the car. The responses they get at times are that valuables were left in plain sight in the car. It is a rational response by the police department to inform the citizenry not to leave valuables in open sight in their cars. Yes, it seems like common sense not to leave valuables in your car, but some people are doing it. On a side note, my mom never left valuables in her car, but had a window broken anyway. She started to leave her car unlocked so the thieves could look to see there were no valuables without damaging her vehicle. Now and then she would find her things out of place, but her windows stayed intact.
Awakened
Mon, Oct 18, 2010 : 6:28 a.m.
I really don't think that locking my doors will save my catalytic converter or deter someone who has the equiptment and knowledge to steal my airbags. In fact, I would guess that if I left my GPS in plain view(or cash and cell phone like in the picture)and locked my doors, I am more likely to lose a window. "If you don't want it stolen, don't leave it in the vehicle." Thanks for nothing, Lieutenant.
Steve Pepple
Mon, Oct 18, 2010 : 6:09 a.m.
A comment attacking another commenter was removed.
racerx
Mon, Oct 18, 2010 : 5:27 a.m.
AAPD. Thanks for your professional & sound advice to lock my car doors to my car. Without this information, I would not had known what to do to handle this current crime wave. Thanks again for the support and being very professional by giving citizens practical, worthwhile advice. I've my part to keep your unsolved crime numbers up!