Auto burglaries on the rise

Even old, beat-up cars are not immune to the threat of auto burglaries.

If thieves are not interested in stealing your vehicle, they may break in anyway and take off with your laptop, iPod or any other valuables left lying inside in plain view.

The UCF Police Department is stepping up efforts to increase awareness of auto burglary prevention, sparked by an increased number of reported auto burglaries on the weekend before the start of fall classes.

According to the police department's public log, which tracks crimes reported within the past 60 days, there were several cases of burglary, theft and suspicious activity taking place in parking lots and garages.

Sgt. Troy Williamson, the spokesman for the police department, said many of the burglaries took place in parking garages during nighttime hours.

The amount of auto burglaries for August 2010 tripled last year's August total.

There were four burglaries reported in August 2009, and 12 reported in August 2010, according to the UCF Police Department's proximity property crime log.

August has had more burglaries, than any other month in 2010.

Williamson responded to the crime reports by increasing police presence anywhere where vehicles park on campus.

"We are targeting every garage and parking lots on campus with extra patrol," he said.

In addition, Williamson sent out a community alert warning students, faculty and staff of the rise in auto theft and burglaries.

He said there was "a small drop" in reported burglaries since the alert was sent out, but he warned the threat still exists.

"We want students and staff to continue securing their electronic devices and other items that may be of interest to being stolen," he said.

To prevent auto burglaries, the police department recommends motorists always roll up their vehicle's windows and keep the doors locked, remove valuables from the vehicle or store them in the trunk, and to report any instance of suspicious activity in a parking lot or garage to the police.

They also encourage people to register the make, model and serial numbers of valuables with the police department so in the event the item is stolen, it can be recovered by law enforcement and returned to the rightful owner.

"Our property registration program helps students record their items that have serial numbers that if later they are stolen, our chances of recovery are greater if they are sold at pawn shops," Williamson said.

Students and staff can also participate in Operation ID, a nationally recognized program working to protect against theft.

Participants have their driver's license number engraved on valuables as an identifying mark.

As the police continue to raise awareness of prevention tips, students are remaining vigilant.

Melanie Hagans, a forensic science major, said she always keeps her car locked and keeps her valuables out of sight.

She suggested it is unwise for drivers not to keep their vehicles locked.

"You've got to be stupid to trust these people," she said.

She said she also tries to park in well-lit and heavily populated areas because she worries about suspicious activity that could lead to a life-threatening situation.

"That's what scares me more than anything else," she said. "Stuff is just stuff. My life is more important."

Williamson said police are visiting the campus housing communities to conduct crime prevention meetings.

He said apartment communities in the area are also vulnerable to the threat of auto burglaries.

Police visited Apollo, Pegasus Pointe and Lake Claire last week and plan to visit Tower 4 on Thursday and Hercules on Oct. 5.

For more information on crime prevention tips and programs, visit the UCF Police Department's website at police.ucf.edu.