Foothills Auto Burglaries in Parking Lots

From APD:

The Foothills Area Command had 9 auto burglaries from Friday 11/22 through this morning, 11/26. Of the 9 auto burglary cases, 8 were unforced entries! What does this mean? The burglar did not have to punch a lock or break a window – the vehicle was left unlocked with valuable property inside.

These burglaries occurred in target-rich areas – parking lots at apartment complexes, a restaurant, a big-box retail center, and a child care center.
What property was taken? Purses, wallets, IDs, checkbooks, a backpack with an Nintendo game system inside.

What can you do to better protect your vehicle and belongings?
• Lock up – even for those quick stops and errands that will “just take a minute.”
• Remove valuables. If you must lock valuables in your trunk, do so away from your destination.
• Take garage door openers and personal papers/IDs with you when you exit the vehicle.
• Park in locations with good sight lines and lots of potential witnesses.
• If you are parking for the night, park under good lighting to minimize risk of burglary.
• Scan the parking lot before you exit your vehicle; if it doesn’t feel safe go back another time with a buddy.
• If you see ‘casing’ activity, aggressive panhandling or suspicious characters loitering in a parking lot at your destination feel free to call 242-COPS (2677) and report this to the management. Managers want their customers to be safe while on their premises and want customers to return. Let them know if there is a problem.
• Ask the store for an escort to walk you to your vehicle or help you with boxes, bags, shopping carts.

I wish everyone in our community a safe and happy Thanksgiving holiday,

Jill Garcia, Crime Prevention Specialist
Foothills Area Command, Albuquerque Police Department
12800 Lomas Blvd NE
Albuquerque, NM 87112
jcgarcia@cabq.gov
332-5240 Front Office
323-4644 Direct Line
332-5249 Fax