Fifteen seconds…that’s approximately the amount of time required to fully ransack the interior of your unlocked vehicle and to remove any and all valuables. Fifteen seconds…
Despite local and national efforts and public service announcements reminding vehicle owners to lock their cars and trucks…despite pleas to remove valuables from vehicles…doors remain unlocked overnight and vehicular burglaries continue.
The calls for service begin, during the early morning hours, as residents and visitors enter their vehicles only to find that their vehicle has been burglarized. Gloveboxes are opened and the contents are scattered around the interior of the vehicle. Center console covers are snapped off as thieves hastily rummage through the contents. Items hidden beneath the seats are no longer there. Utilizing the trunk-release mechanism, the contents of the trunk are often stolen, as well.
Laptops, wallets, purses, keys, cash and firearms left overnight have been stolen. Those who chose to leave the vehicle’s key fob in their car or truck generally wake to find an empty parking space in their driveway.
The burglary of an unlocked vehicle is the quintessential example of a crime of opportunity. Criminals walk through the darkened streets pulling on car door handles. All too many of them open.
While there is no statistical or scientific way to determine the increased likelihood that your unlocked vehicle will be burglarized, we can safely say that thieves almost always walked past a locked car or truck. The time required to break into a secured vehicle, along with the noise that generally accompanies such a break-in, makes a locked vehicle problematic. Why struggle and risk arrest when the vehicle next door is potentially unlocked?
If vehicle doors needed to be chained and padlocked, one might say that the process is tedious and difficult. Since the early 1980s, varying forms of remote keyless entry became available requiring that vehicle owners simply depress a button to lock and secure their vehicles.
Despite the technology, despite the simplicity, residents continue to leave their vehicles unlocked and deputies continue to spend the morning hours responding to these thefts.
Please consider the following:
Prior to walking away from your vehicle, take a moment to ensure that all doors, tailgates, truck beds, etc., are locked.
Ensure that there are no valuables visible to passersby.
Remove all firearms from the vehicle and secure them inside your residence.
When possible, park in well-lit areas or garages.
Trim bushes/hedges that block the view of your vehicle.
If you see individuals walking from driveway to driveway or approaching parked vehicle doors, please contact law enforcement immediately. “See something, say something, make the call!”
BY: autumn
Governor Ron DeSantis Activates Emergency Bridge…
BY: autumn
Helping Bridge the Gap During DisastersFlorida…
BY: autumn
The following is a series of important updates…
BY: autumn
FGCU’s Regional Economic Research Institute has…
BY: autumn
In Florida there are currently 2,900 people who…
BY: autumn
The SBA South Florida District Office will host a…
BY: autumn
The State of Florida has released updated…
BY: autumn
Each day I hear from job creators that are eager…
BY: autumn
The Florida Department of Economic Opportunity has…
BY: autumn
The Federal Government by act of Congress has…
BY: autumn
Resources available online as Lee County residents…
BY: autumn
Schedule and locations of walk-up COVID-19 testing…
BY: autumn
Lee County Government is investing in Human &…
BY: autumn
BY: autumn
Fort Myers, FL, Sept. 10, 2020 – Another round of…
BY: autumn
Meet up with the Chamber and let’s have a relaxed…
BY: autumn
A time to come together and reflect. We'll gather…
BY: autumn
The Florida Department of Health and Lee County…
BY: autumn
The East Lee County Chamber of Commerce will be…
BY: autumn
Businesses, we need you! Get a Game table to meet…
BY: autumn
We still need to reach our goal to make this…
BY: autumn
April is Water Conservation Month and an ideal…
BY: autumn
Please join us on Thursday, April 29, as we host a…
BY: autumn
The Chairman and Board of Directors of the East…
BY: autumn
Celebrating our FUTURE MAKERS and recognizing…
BY: autumn
Annual list recognizes excellence in clinical…
BY: autumn
Greetings! First and foremost, I know we are all…
BY: autumn
Construction sites are appearing all over the Lee…
BY: autumn
The Emergency Department IS NOT a designated COVID…
BY: autumn
COVID-19 hospitalizations and cases continue to…
BY: autumn
Harry C. Powell, Jr. was born in Jacksonville on…
BY: admin
Throughout the past several months we've all been…
BY: autumn
At times, I believe that people forget that…
BY: autumn
As January brings the past year to a close, we…
BY: autumn
Nationwide, law enforcement is receiving a growing…
BY: autumn
Happy New Year! Although this past year brought…
BY: autumn
This year the Chamber of Commerce will be…
BY: admin
Fifteen seconds…that’s approximately the amount of…
BY: admin
Lee County Commissioner Ray Sandelli in this…
BY: admin
Sheriff Carmine Marceno touches on a topic of…
East Lee County Chamber of Commerce
25 Homestead Rd. N #41
Lehigh Acres, FL 33936
239.369.3322
Powered by Red Sneakers Mobile Marketing
Back to top