AUSTIN, Texas — We're just days away from Black Friday, when thousands of shoppers across the Austin metro area will pack stores in search of discount items.
But among all the shopping and planning for the holidays, we tend to let our guards down, according to Austin police, and give thieves an opportunity.
The holiday season is typically when APD sees an uptick in car burglaries, which aren't limited to any particular part of the city this time of the year.
"We understand this is a busy time, high-stress time. It's a festive time. But just take the time to make sure that you're taking all the safety precautions so you don't become victimized over the holiday season. It wouldn't be fun for anyone," Det. David Wright said.
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Wright recommends shoppers take home what they buy right after leaving the store or put the items in the trunk, away from thieves' eyes.
If it's too inconvenient to drive home, Wright recommends at least parking the car somewhere else after leaving your valuables in the trunk so that thieves lose their sight on you and your belongings.
"It could be a $5 item or a $100 item. If it looks valuable, a thief won't make that distinction.They're just going to see something of value inside the vehicle that is right there in plain view, and they're going to either break inside the vehicle to get the item. They may just take the whole thing, the whole vehicle," Wright said.
And thieves aren't just looking for something new and shiny. They're also looking for wallets and purses – and guns.
Thieves stealing guns from cars is one of the more serious crimes APD is seeing, Wright said. He recommends gun owners keep a copy of their gun's serial number so, if stolen, detectives can track the gun down.
"We don't want the guns to get into the hands of juveniles or other bad guys and then they commit more crimes or more heinous crimes," he said.
If you see anything suspicious, call 911.
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