It only takes a moment for a vehicle to be burglarized, stolen
If you leave your car unlocked or window down, a thief can quickly make off with any valuables. But law enforcement officials say even locked doors and rolled-up windows aren't much of an impediment if somebody really wants something out of your car, so they recommend hiding items or, better yet, not leaving valuables in your car. Every two seconds a vehicle is burglarized, and every eight seconds one is stolen. Staff photo by Daniel Clifton
DANIEL CLIFTON • EDITOR
BURNET — The woman pulled into the Stripes parking lot in Burnet, jumped out of her pickup and dashed into the store, leaving the truck running. Just after she went inside, a man emerged from nearby and watched her inside the store for a moment.
Then calmly, as if it were his own, the man jumped into the pickup, backed it up and headed off. When the woman came out of the store, holding a drink, it took a few seconds for her to realize her truck was gone.
“Stopping for a drink can end up costing you a lot,” said Lt. Stephen Savoy of the Heart of Texas Auto Theft Task Force. “People think it takes a lot of time for somebody to steal a vehicle, but it doesn’t take long at all. You know, every eight minutes a car is stolen.”
The above scene was a scenario set up by the task force, the Burnet County Sheriff’s Office and the Burnet Police Department to demonstrate how easy it is for somebody to make off with a car, especially one with the keys left in it and running. Savoy said people do this every day — leave their car running while they go into a convenience store or other business believing, “Oh, I’m only going to be a few seconds. Nobody’s going to take my car.”
But, Savoy pointed out, it does happen.
BCSO Chief Deputy Joey Canady said Burnet and the surrounding area regularly ranks in the top 10 in non-urban areas of Texas for car theft and vehicle burglary.
“It’s a problem,” he said. “And it’s something you can prevent and deter.”
Savoy said it’s as simple as taking your keys out of the ignition and locking your doors, even if you’re going in for a few seconds, which often turns out to be several minutes.
It’s not just car thefts that concern Savoy and Canady.
“While a car is stolen every eight minutes, one is burglarized every two minutes,” Savoy said.
Again, he pointed out, it only takes a few precautions to prevent a vehicle from being burglarized.
“Make sure if you have any valuables in your car, take them with you or hide them,” Savoy said. “And be sure to lock your car doors, even if you’re at home.”
Thieves can quickly grab a purse, a cell phone, a camera or other valuables through an open window or by way of an unlocked door. Even if you think your car is safe in your driveway at home, Savoy said it’s still a target if valuables are visible. And it really doesn’t take much to draw a thief’s attention.
“You know the change in your console? It might not seem like much to you, but to somebody else, it’s something to grab,” he said.
Even if your car is locked and the windows are rolled up, if a thief sees something of particular value, he or she can quickly smash through the window and grab it.
Savoy’s and Canady’s advice: Lock your car doors, take the keys, roll up the windows and either take your valuables or hide them.
Fortunately for the woman in the above scenario, this car thief was a law enforcement officer and he eventually returned to take her to her truck.
But, Savoy noted, it typically doesn’t work out that way.
daniel@thepicayune.com