Thieves target vehicles during holiday season

It’s that time of the year again where we are likely to be out and about making purchases and feeling festive. Many thieves look for easy and inviting targets when it comes to selecting a vehicle to burglarize or steal from. It is up to you to make every effort to prevent your car from being targeted. Hide it. Lock it. Keep it.

Here are some basic tips that will make your vehicle a little less inviting to a thief. Lock your car. Park in well-lighted areas. Install motion lights in your driveway. Install and use a vehicle alarm. Do not leave valuables in plain view. Never leave your purse or wallet in the car. Leave all items of value at home, if possible.

Look around when you park. Did you notice anyone or anything suspicious? Write down license plates and descriptions (or snap a picture), alert on-site security or call the police.

Many auto burglaries or thefts from cars occur right in a residential driveway and too often it is because the vehicle was never locked. Arrests of some suspects have revealed they target cars that have been left unlocked, walking up and down a street trying car doors all the way.

Take the time to roll your windows up and secure your vehicle. If you plan on stopping by the gym, park or elsewhere after work, take the time before you leave to place your belongings safely in the trunk. Please don’t wait until you park to transfer your laptop, purse, bag or briefcase to the trunk; thieves may be watching and target your car.

Some of the most common items stolen are backpacks, briefcases, duffel bags, cellphones, laptops, money/coins, sunglasses and things that are valuable or may contain valuables. Don’t leave any of these or other valuable items in plain view. Hide them, take them with you or lock them in the trunk.

Be proactive, look around and, most importantly, don’t hesitate to call the police if you see something or someone suspicious. Don’t become a victim.

Nov. 29. Accident: The single-vehicle has rolled about three or four times and is now firmly rested belly up and the one of the occupants benefits from obeying the seat-belt law at 12:49 a.m. in the 1000 block of Yucca Street.

Civil: The tenant doesn’t remember giving friends permission to move his items to Texas and is surprised when they are gone after his hospital stay at 11:07 a.m. in the 900 block of Nevada Way.

Thought for the day: Seat belts do save lives and, as in this case, painful injuries.

Nov. 30. Reckless: The caller states the elderly driver is all over the roadway and dangerous at 2:28 p.m. in the area of U.S. Highway 93 and Buchanan Boulevard.

Disturbance: The caller states a subject known to him aggressively approached and demanded payment on an imaginary debt at 11:02 p.m. in the 800 block of Nevada Way.

Thought for the day: New medication has an adverse reaction with the elderly driver and he is safely in the vehicle of a friend on the way home.

Dec. 1. Disturbance: The caller states a subject on foot is extremely upset with horses being allowed in Bootleg Canyon at 1:59 p.m. in the 1000 block of Yucca Street.

Alarm: An alarm company reports getting multiple motion alarms at the location at 6:39 p.m. in the 1500 block of Mancha Drive.

Thought for the day: The family dogs seem to be having a joyous game of tag as they race past the windows.

Dec. 2. Petty theft: It looks like someone has cut a compressor hose and siphoned gas at 12:46 p.m. in the 700 block of Wells Road.

Family disturbance: The caller states the daylong argument has been over child custody and the canine at 10:21 p.m. in the 600 block of Sandy Beach Way.

Thought for the day: It might be worth the expense to purchase locking gas caps for older vehicles not equipped from the factory.

Dec. 3. Suspicious: The caller reports a subject yelling obscenities over an intercom and asking for a fight at 9:40 a.m. in the 1000 block of Nevada Way.

Disturbance: The two men are loud and have nothing nice to say to each other at 2:52 p.m. in the area of Nevada Way and Buchanan Boulevard.

Thought for the day: Is it a full moon or what?

Dec. 4. Threats: The caller believes someone has planted “bugs” and is transmitting threats via two-way communication at 10:12 a.m. in the 500 block of Date Street.

Assist other: Officers are able to assist an air unit that needs to make an emergency landing at 3:40 p.m. in the area of U.S. Highway 95 and Nelson Road.

Thought for the day: It might just be a good week to stay at home.

Dec. 5. Fraud: The caller states the sweepstakes officials have promised to come to the residence if they don’t pay up at 9:09 a.m. in the 1300 block of Palmwood Street.

Auto theft: The owner finds that the box trailer is missing from the last known location at 4:18 p.m. in the 1600 block of Ann Way.

Thought for the day: Those publishers take their giveaways pretty serious, I guess.

Call(s) of the week: Fight: The caller states a man is raging in the parking lot, hitting vehicles and people and causing a disturbance. He can be identified by the orange shirt and white man-bun. By the time officers arrive he has moved his game to another location and cannot be located, man-bun and all at 12:42 a.m. Dec. 1 in the 700 block of Nevada Way.

Tina Ransom is a dispatcher with Boulder City Police Department. She is coordinator of the Boulder City Citizen’s Academy.