By Nathan Hardin
nhardin@ncsu.eduThe number of vehicle break-ins in Salisbury is on the rise, and Salisbury Chief of Police Mark Wilhelm says the public needs to be proactive toward preventing criminal behavior and be on the lookout for suspicious activity.
“If you have valuables in your car, you need to lock them in the trunk or place them under the seat and out of sight,” Wilhelm said.
According to Wilhelm, GPS units, cell phones, laptops, and pocketbooks are the items most likely to be stolen from vehicles.
“Many GPS units are removable. It takes two minutes or less to unplug your GPS unit and place it in the trunk,” Wilhelm explained. “By doing this, you will tremendouslydecrease your chance of being victimized.”
Where you place your valuables isn’t the only important factor in reducing the risk of larceny from a motor vehicle. Wilhelm also explained how your parking position may greatly help your chances of remaining crime free.
“If you can, you should park in a well lit area, near the entrance,” Wilhelm said. “Set your vehicle alarm and park an extra parking space away from others to make suspicious activity more noticeable.”
With holiday seasons come more opportunities for criminal behavior, and while the public should take the proper precautions, you should also act appropriately if you find that your vehicle has been broken into.
“Contact the police and don’t touch the car because you can potentially destroy evidence,” Wilhelm said. “After you call, you should wait in a safe place until help arrives.”