The St. Mary's County Sheriff's Office
has identified a trend of increased thefts
from unlocked
motor vehicles. In these crimes, suspects prey
on citizens who fail to secure their vehicles, stealing what they can from
their victims. Valuables left in plain view leaves citizens vulnerable to
becoming targets of crime. Fortunately, these crimes are usually crimes of
opportunity and thus are largely preventable.
These criminals are looking for
purses, cash, change, laptops, electronic tablets, and GPS units.
The St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office
urges residents to practice these important prevention techniques:
Lock
vehicles
every time you exit them
Remove all valuable items
Park in well-lit areas
Do not leave a motor vehicle running
and unattended
In addition to securing their
vehicles, it is important that residents remain aware of their surroundings and
report any suspicious activity, such as unknown
persons and/or vehicles in the area, by
calling the Sheriff’s Office non-emergency line at 301-475-8008. For immediate
assistance, call 9-1-1.
Being proactive and reporting
suspicious incidents is the key to preventing crime throughout our
neighborhoods.
