October is Crime Prevention Month, and the Prince William County Police Department reminds residents that everyone plays a role in preventing crime in our communities. Once persistent problem that can be tackled easily is larcenies from vehicles. Watch this video for more information.

Personal property including firearms, purses, wallets, money and credit cards, work identification cards and badges, as well as phones, tablets and laptops are regularly reported stolen from vehicles – most of which were unlocked in driveways, open garages, and residential parking lots and streets!

During October, pledge to take the following steps to help stop these types of opportunistic crimes:

• Lock all entrances to garages. Close overhead garage doors at night, or if you are not using the garage for several hours. Open or unlocked garage doors provide quick, easy access to vehicles, other valuable items in garages such as bicycles and lawn equipment, and homes.
• Always lock vehicles – even when they are parked in a garage.
• Always lock all vehicles parked in driveways, parking lots or on the street overnight. Thieves can easily steal valuables left in cars and they can use garage-door openers found in unlocked cars to access garages and homes.
• Do not leave valuables such as firearms, purses, wallets, keys, electronics, cash and credit cards, and identification documents in cars parked in driveways or garages overnight. Bring valuables inside your home with you.
• Secure items left in or on work vehicles, which are also frequent targets of thieves.
• If you are not able to garage your vehicle, consider installing a motion sensor light near where your vehicles are parked.
• Report all suspicious activity immediately.

This October, pledge to Practice TLC: Take Out Valuables. Lock Your Vehicle, Garage, and Home. Call the Police to Report Suspicious or Illegal Activity.