Please attribute to Henderson Community Constable , Senior Constable Martyn Spear.
If it can be seen, it can be stolen. If you actually want your precious possessions stolen, then by all means leave them in your car in sight of thieves. That’s the basic prevention message from Police in West Auckland. We’re reminding vehicle owners to keep valuables out of sight. It follows reports of a number of thefts from cars parked in the bush and beach car parks in the West Auckland area in the last few days.
Vehicles in open car parks are no safer than closed car parks and have been targeted when the property taken was left in plain view.
Ideally, leave no property of value in your vehicle at all, including back packs and bags regardless of how much they contain, as this is enticing enough for thieves to break in, damage your car, just to check it out.
If you must leave property in your vehicle, remove valuables, especially passports, wallet, cameras and take them with you. Other less valuable, bigger items should be placed in the boot - out of sight. If you must leave property in your vehicle, hide it BEFORE you arrive and park up - some thieves lurk and watch potential victims stow their personal items and help themselves soon after.
Leave your centre console and glove box open to show you have nothing worth stealing there.
While Police investigate these offences, we remind people to be vigilant when parking vehicles and in general not to leave property in view of opportunists but to conceal it in the boot or don’t leave it in your vehicle at all.
This advice applies to vehicles parked in similar car parks right across Auckland, such as car parks at the start of walking tracks, beaches and at sporting events or summer concerts.
If anyone sees any suspicious activity – please report it to Police immediately if it’s in progress. Remember if it can be seen then it can be stolen.
ENDS
Police Media Centre