SLPD, SPD, MCPD Target Historic Holiday Vehicle Crime Trend

Sugar Land, Texas – A regional enforcement initiative intended to build on a successful efforts during previous holiday seasons will again target criminals caught breaking into vehicles.

Special teams from the Sugar Land, Missouri City and Stafford Police Departments will utilize combined targeted patrols, surveillance, citizen volunteers and education to address an annual increase in motor vehicle burglaries that cities across the nation experience during holiday seasons.

The coordinated enforcement initiative builds on other partnerships that focus on criminal activity occurring throughout east Fort Bend County.

“We’re aggressively attacking a problem that we see throughout the year, but more so during the holidays,” said SLPD Sgt. Mike Richards.

“Drivers are leaving property in their vehicles, which creates an easy target for thieves.  Those caught breaking into vehicles will be arrested and stand a good chance of spending their Christmas in jail.”

Items typically targeted during vehicle burglaries include purses, wallets, computer equipment and electronics (i.e., I-pods, GPS devices, cellular phones and radar detectors).

The tri-agency team will focus on areas identified as “hot spots” – particularly shopping centers and health clubs – with a combination of enforcement, citizen and business owner partnerships and public awareness.

The following tips can help prevent vehicle burglaries:

●     Keep vehicles locked at all times.

●     When parked overnight, remove all valuables from vehicles.

●     When shopping, make one trip to the car with purchased

merchandise, and then leave the lot. Thieves have been known to watch shoppers as they place merchandise in their cars before returning to a store.

●     Never leave identification, wallets, credit cards or jewelry in

vehicles while visiting fitness centers. Doing so is much riskier than using a locker inside the gym or leaving the items at home.

●     If personal property must be left in a car, lock it in the

trunk. Unfortunately, this option does not exist for pick-up trucks or SUVs. Thieves are aware that there is no secure place to store items in these types of vehicles.

●     Finally, before you leave a vehicle, take a second to look