Recently, an Arlington Heights neighbor reported that his car was prowled, and that his garage door opener was used to access his home's attached garage—which provided access into the home. Fortunately, that did not happen.
Northwest Portland Crime Prevention Coordinator Frank Silva counsels neighbors: "Please remember, some simple steps can greatly reduce your chances of being a victim of a car prowl. Car prowlers become increasingly active during the holiday season."
Effective Car Prowl Prevention Tips
- Leave your car "showroom clean," with absolutely nothing in it. If valuables must be left in the car, keep them completely out of sight.
- Roll up the windows and lock the car, even if you are just leaving it for a short time.
- Park in areas that are well-lit whenever possible. Avoid parking in areas with limited visibility.
- Remove all items from the car that could be used for identity theft, particularly anything with your Social Security number or credit card numbers. Car registration and insurance papers can be used for identity theft, so your wallet or purse is a better place for these documents.
- Remove garage door openers, key cards, or keys from the car so a car prowler cannot gain access to your home.
- If you have a garage, park in it.
- If you have radios and CD players that can be removed or the face can be removed, take them with you or lock them in the trunk.
- If it is feasible, consider installing a car alarm. Look for alarms that have the option of adjusting the sensitivity of the motion detector or turning it off altogether. When a car has an over-sensitive alarm, it can result in you and your neighbors ignoring the alarm when it goes off.
- If you become a car prowl victim, be sure to contact the police to report the crime. The police non-emergency number is 503-823-3333. Give a detailed description of all of the items that were stolen. If financial records, receipts, or checks were stolen, immediately contact the banks that issued those accounts.
Although this particular incident happened in Southwest Portland, we thought these tips might be helpful to neighbors in all parts of the city.
Stay safe, neighbors!
