Tips To Avoid Car Break-Ins

There are few worse feelings than returning to your car and finding a broken window and missing valuables.

As we reported yesterday and Brick Patch also reported, Brick has been hit with a rash of vehicle break-ins.

In separate incidents, cars in parking lots at Target and Buffalo Wild Wings had their windows smashed and valuables stolen, while unlocked cars at residences in Brick were also stripped of valuables.

Here are a few tips to avoid being a victim:

• First and foremost, even when you're parked in your own driveway, always lock your vehicle.
• Try to park in a well lit area, especially if you will be parked for an extended period of time.
• Remove or hide valuables that are in your car - GPS units, cell phones, iPods, bags, purses, even expensive sunglasses sitting in plain view are all tempting targets for thieves.
• It's even a good idea to remove device mounts when you park - even if a device isn't attached and in plain view, that GPS mount that's attached to your dash tells a thief that it's likely that there are electronics somewhere in the car.

If you are a victim of a car crime, report it to your local police department immediately.