The Texas Auto Burglary and Theft Prevention Authority (ABTPA), a division of the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles, reminds drivers that a vehicle is burglarized every two minutes and stolen every eight minutes in the state.
These crimes happen to us as citizens when we let our guard down. During these times, drivers are more likely to leave belongings within view inside vehicles. Our busy everyday lives cause some drivers to become negligent in locking doors and taking keys.
Thieves also look for personal documents and items that can help them steal your identity or gain access to your home. In other words, the theft or burglary of your vehicle may simply be a gateway to the commission of additional crimes.
Criminals tend to scout parking lots of shopping centers, apartment complexes, movie theaters, and others public parking areas to locate victims. Criminals also walk through residential areas checking door handles of vehicles to find the ones that are unlocked. Unlocked vehicles make an easy target for the criminal, and minimize his chances of being caught while committing the criminal act.
According to the Texas Department of Public Safety, thieves committed 214,294 acts of vehicle burglary and stole 65,671 vehicles in Texas during 2013. In some jurisdictions, more than half of the vehicles stolen had unlocked doors and keys left inside. Drivers can avoid becoming part of these statistics. The ABTPA and its 29 vehicle crime task forces in Texas promote a basic vehicle crime prevention philosophy: “Protect It, It’s Yours.” Motorists should practice three basic safety tips to help prevent theft and burglary throughout the year:
- Remove belongings from view
- Secure vehicles
- Never leave keys inside
In addition to practicing these prevention methodologies, drivers should park in areas that are well-lit, near surveillance cameras (if available), and near heavy foot and vehicle traffic. The more thieves feel threatened by detection, the less likely they are to focus on targets in such areas.
The Texas Auto Theft Prevention Authority (ATPA) was created by the Texas Legislature in 1991 to fund programs to reduce vehicle thefts. The passing of House Bill 1887 in 2007 expanded the scope of the agency to include automobile burglary and added that term to the Authority’s title. For more information on the ABTPA, auto burglary, vehicle theft, prevention, statistics, contacts for any of ABTPA’s 29 Texas vehicle crime task forces, public service information, or to schedule a presentation by task force personnel, call 800-CAR-WATCH or visit the ABTPA website at www.txwatchyourcar.com.