After more than 27 vehicle burglary reports in Geneva and St. Charles, police are reminding residents throughout Kane County of the one crime-prevention tactic that’s most likely to save you time and money: lock your car doors.

The Geneva Police Department reports that officers have responded to 11 reports of car burglaries since Oct. 23.

The burglaries have taken place overnight primarily on the city’s East Side, but similar incidents also have been reported in the Allendale subdivision near Western Avenue. Valuables were reported taken from the burglarized vehicles, all of which were unlocked.

Geneva Police believe these incidents are crimes of opportunity and can be reduced with help from the community. Police are encouraging residents to lock their car doors, remove all valuables from their vehicle if possible, park in well-lit areas and consider installing motion triggered outside lighting.

People who witness or hear suspicious activity in their neighborhood should call 911 immediately.

While the vehicle burglaries were reported in Geneva, the same safety advice applies to all communities in Kane County. Police say 92 percent of vehicle burglaries are through unlocked doors. Police say most car burglaries happen at night, so be sure to lock your vehicles, and don’t hesitate to call 911 if you see or hear something that is out of the ordinary.

SOURCE: City of Geneva news release

St. Charles Reports 16 Car Burglaries in 1 Night

St. Charles police reported 16 car burglaries took place during the early morning hours of Oct. 20, 2016, on the city’s southeast side.

Third-quarter (July 1 to Sept. 30) statistics show that again, forced entry was confirmed in only two car burglaries in St. Charles. The rest (89 percent) were to unlocked vehicles.

“It’s certainly nice that residents feel secure enough in their surroundings to leave their valuables unsecured in their vehicles, but time and again we have seen burglars with this same mode of operation,” St. Charles law enforcers said in the Police Department’s “Police Beat” e-newsletter.

Police say burglars are much more apt to enter vehicles that are left unlocked than to force entry to a vehicle and run the risk of making noise that could get them caught.

“We must be smarter about securing our valuables,” the article advises. “Bring that work laptop or GPS unit inside for the night. Keep your loose change out of view. If you must leave high-ticket items in your vehicle, make sure they are out of sight, and then make sure the doors are locked!”

SOURCE: St.Charles Police Department “Police Beat” e-newsletter

Read More

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• Police: Unlocked Cars, Homes Hit Hard in August
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