Please Look Out for Suspicious Persons Looking in Cars

A reader writes:

I was wondering if you could do a posting on car break-ins in our area and ask people to watch out for suspicious persons looking in cars? I live around the corner of 13th and Otis area and have definitely noticed an increase.

This past weekend, a friend of mine parked near my house and within 15 minutes, someone smashed in his window and stole his briefcase holding his laptop out of his car (see photos attached). It’s so shocking that this happened — it was broad daylight at 3 PM on a Sunday, right near the busy corner of 13th and Otis! When we called the police, she said that car theft was actually “down” in the area, but I’m not convinced: in July, my roommates car also got broken into and several pieces of recording equipment stolen. Me and my neighbors’ cars also got broken into/ransacked in August. I talked to the woman who owns the market at 13th and Otis and she echoed my same sentiment — she said the man who delivers her newspapers’ car was broken into across from the store and several Apple products stolen. She said he was only in the store for 15 minutes!

It’s obvious that someone is trolling the streets looking in people’s cars for things to steal. It’d be great if you could warn people in the area to (1) not leave valuables in their car and (2) to keep an eye out for shady people looking in cars!

Ed. Note: Also a good reminder to, in addition to not leaving anything of value in a parked car, also never leave any bags visible in your car even if they have nothing of value.