With the increase in shopping during the holiday season, the WFPD has posted a reminder to help citizens protect themselves from thieves.

While there’s no foolproof way to prevent crimes, the single most important thing you can do to keep from falling victim to a vehicle burglary is to lock your car.

Keep in mind the most basic crime fighting tool to avoid vehicle burglaries: Lock, Take, Hide.

Lock your vehicle as most thieves aren’t willing to draw attention to themselves by breaking a window to get into your vehicle.

Take your valuables with you when exiting the car of simply hide them from view.

It’s also a good idea to park in highly visible, well-lit parking lots that don’t obstruct your vehicle from the view of the general public.

If you have an aftermarket car stereo, remove the faceplate (if possible) and take it with you.

You should always record serial numbers of property you leave in your vehicle. This makes it more likely that the suspect will be identified if they try to sell your property to a pawn shop.

These simple steps can help reduce the risk of your holiday season being ruined by thieves.

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