Vehicular burglary on the rise

AUSTIN (KXAN) - The Austin Police Department Auto Theft Interdiction Unit has seen an increase in burglary of vehicles since the beginning of 2009.

The numbers continue to rise. Burglars are targeting shopping malls, apartment complexes, hike and bike trails, hospitals and any larger parking facilities and residential driveways.

Units of police walked through parking lots and placed fliers on cars that had items visible through vehicle windows. The fliers should help educate drivers of their need to protect themselves against the crime.

Items commonly stolen include:

• Laptop computers
• Purses
• Wallets
• Cell phones
• Cameras
• Credit cards
• GPS systems
• Radios
• CDs

Burglary of vehicles can be prevented if citizens take a few precautions to reduce the probability of being victimized. Such as:

• Lock your car - Don't make it easier for the thief to enter your vehicle
• Park in well-lit areas - Over half of all vehicle theft occurs at night
• Don't leave valuables in plain view - Don't make your car a more desirable target and attract thieves by leaving valuables in plain sight