It’s springtime in Roseville, and a great time to get out and enjoy our region's beautiful parks and trails. Just remember that as trail head parking lots fill up, they become prime hunting grounds for thieves. Thieves know when you park your vehicle at a park or trail head, you will probably be away from your car for quite a while.
You can make your car less attractive to thieves with some easy precautions.
- Leave your valuables at home or take them with you. Only take small essentials that you can carry w
ith you in a fanny pack. If you must leave valuables in your car, then put them out of site in your trunk BEFORE you park your car. A thief could be watching you as you hide your valuables.
- Keep the inside of your car clean. If a thief looks in your car window, they won’t see anything of value to steal. If you have a jacket or clothing in your back seat, a criminal may wonder if there’s something of value under it. Avoid leaving anything in view like yoga mats, hats, clothes, garbage, CD cases, cell phone holders, loose change, or anything that might indicate that you use your car for anything except transportation.
- Don’t leave your garage door opener in your car. A thief could take your garage door opener, find something in your car with your address on it, and go to your home to commit a home burglary while you are out enjoying a walk.
- Avoid leaving hints of something valuable being in the car. Stash that phone charger or suction cup holder for your GPS or phone.
- If you see someone suspicious lurking around the parking area, call the police.
- Check to see if a trail head is prone to vehicle break-ins. Look for small pieces of broken auto safety glass. If you see any of this type of glass, it’s a sure sign that a vehicle break in has occurred in the past. Then consider parking elsewhere.
After taking these simple precautions, you can hit the trails and enjoy this beautiful time of year.