Police: Follow simple steps to avoid being victim

Area law enforcement have seen an increase in the amount of car burglaries recently.

Auburn police Capt. Tom Stofer said even one car burglary is one too many, especially when “it’s the type of crime that’s easily preventable.”

The Lee County Sheriff’s Office arrested four Phenix City men June 24 for more than 100 car burglaries and thefts from vehicles in the past two months. Chief Investigator Capt. Van Jackson said all the cars burglarized by the group were unlocked in residential areas.

Stofer said the crime can happen anywhere, at any time, but especially if a vehicle is unlocked or valuables are visible from the outside.

“It’s a crime of opportunity,” he said. “They’re not likely to smash a window and risk getting caught, searching for what they want. They know what they want and then they enter the vehicle to get it.

“If you keep your valuables safe and your car locked, chances are you won’t be broken into,” he added.

Stofer said there are additional steps residents can take to deter additional crimes, particularly during the upcoming holiday weekend.

For those that will stay in town, Stofer suggested being a “nosey neighbor” and reporting any suspicious or criminal activity to the police. For those who will not be home, he suggested residents lock all doors and windows, and leave a light and radio on, and if possible, a car in the driveway, to give the appearance that someone is home.

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