SHELBY TOWNSHIP, Mich. – The Shelby Township Police Department has a critical message for drivers in the area.
Lock your car doors!
“We’ve had a ton of vehicle thefts, vehicles stolen, vehicle break-ins all throughout the township,” said Shelby Township police officer Carrie Bennett. “It’s not only in Shelby Township but all across Macomb County.”
Bennett says about 90% of those instances could have been avoided if people locked their doors.
“The reoccurring thing is people are not locking their cars, and they’re leaving their keys and their valuables in the car,” Bennett said.
Bennett says this one little mistake makes it very easy for the thieves to steal and ultimately creates more work for the police department. In some cases, cars have been stolen because vehicles are left running while the driver runs into a gas station or store.
Local 4 Crime and Safety expert Darnell Blackburn says it’s a significant setup for failure.
“People leave them running because it’s cold outside,” said Blackburn. “It’s not a safe thing to do, and it makes you an easy target.”
Another big risk is what thieves may have access to when they make it inside your vehicle.
“A lot of the time, people also leave their garage door openers in the car,” Blackburn said. “If you leave your garage door opener in the car, it’s easy for a person to get into your garage. And ultimately, some people leave their doors unlocked. So you have to be mindful of that. You just can’t put yourself into a position just because you live in a certain place. It doesn’t always mean that it’s safe.”
“They have access to whatever documents you have in there,” Bennett said. “Your personal information. It’s just something to keep in mind that it’s your car, but they can get all your personal information and even into your home.”
If you have something valuable, put it in the trunk or hide it from plain sight.
