Police: Car Burglars Still Victimizing Los Gatos

The sent an electronic news flash Thursday morning to its about 400 members alerting them that local cops are still warning residents about an increase in auto burglaries.

"We continue to get hit with auto burglaries around town, a lot in front of/near businesses where the victim(s) are leaving purses, laptops, cell phones, etc. in PLAIN VIEW on their seats in the car," the message said.

Capt. Alana Forrest said although the warning is an excerpt from a December press release issued by the agency about the crime, it's still happening.

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While Los Gatos and Monte Sereno are extremely safe communities and local police actively investigate auto burglaries, the most effective measure to stop auto burglaries are residents and visitors who take the following steps to prevent the crime from occurring, police said.

Police offered the following tips to avoid being a victim of vehicle burglary.

• Lock your doors and roll up your windows. Don’t let your vehicle be the easy target that criminals look for. At home, park your car in the garage. Even in safe neighborhoods, vehicles should always be kept locked.
• Don’t leave valuables in your car. Most auto burglaries have one common denominator: the vehicles have something valuable inside them worth stealing.
• Lock valuables away. Lock items in areas like the glove box or trunk instead of simply throwing the item under a seat or under a jacket. SUVs and station wagons are favorite targets of thieves for this reason.
• Plan shopping trips so you don’t unload bags full of valuables into your car and head back into the mall or shopping center. Try not to do this until you are ready to drive your vehicle to another destination. 
• Don’t make criminals curious. Avoid using towels or blankets to cover valuable items. This can sometime pique a criminal’s interest as to what is underneath the blanket.
• Set your car-alarm.
• Park in well-lit areas visible to passers-by. Consider installing motion detector lights to illuminate your driveway. 
• Report suspicious activity to police. Trust your instincts. If you see suspicious people or vehicles in your neighborhood or in public areas, or hear suspicious noises at night, please call 911 or the Los Gatos-Monte Sereno Police Department at 408-354-8600.
• Police cannot function effectively without the assistance of responsible citizens. Police are encouraging the public to call them immediately if they feel a situation or circumstance is suspicious.