As June temperatures rise, don’t let your guard down when it comes to protecting your vehicle and valuables.
Columbia Police officers are providing safety tips to protect your belongings from auto thefts and break-ins.
A few simple steps can help you avoid becoming a victim of crimes of opportunity.
According to the CPD crime analysis department, many of these crimes occur when keys are left in the ignition or valuables left in plain view.
Criminals tend to break windows or ‘pop locks’ when they see an item that want inside of a vehicle. Those items could be loose change, GPS devices, purses, computer bags or car charges; anything to keep for themselves or sell to a willing customer.
Officers understand that criminals may also enter a locked vehicle and rummage through to determine what they can steal.
According to preliminary CPD statistics: (as of May 31, 2017):
There have been 392 motor vehicle thefts (Year-to-Date) and 920 Auto Break-ins (Year-to-Date).
Most importantly, report such crimes to CPD or your local law enforcement agency.
Officers can review crime trends and devote crime suppression efforts to the affected areas.
CPD’s Property Crimes Unit has made several arrests related to these crimes.
In particular, 20-year-old De’Anthony M. Jones (DOB: 4-30-1997) and co-defendant Deantay T. Smith (DOB: 7-4-1998) have been arrested and charged with multiple counts of Breaking Into Motor Vehicles, Grand Larceny and Petit Larceny from incidents that occurred on: Kawana Road, Devereaux Road, Whittaker Drive, and Pineridge Road. The duo is accused of swiping computers, passport, pill bottle and expensive sunglasses. Most of the cars were unlocked.
All persons arrested/charged are presumed innocent until or unless proven guilty in a court of law.
At last check, both suspects were still housed at the Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center. (ASGDC)