03/04/2026
The best vehicle burglary prevention tactic is simply to lock your car.
Sunday night, suspects hit cars in Safety Harbor, Palm Harbor, and Dunedin and attempted dozens more. We have the footage. They walk up, pull the handle, feel resistance, and keep moving. That's it. That's the whole plan.
We know, we know. You have thoughts. Let's go through them.
"They'll just break the window."
In Pinellas, they usually won't. A locked door and nothing visible from outside is genuinely enough to make most of these guys move along. They're looking for easy. Don't be easy.
"I have cameras."
Love that for you, truly, and it does help us investigate after the fact. But cameras don't stop a handle from being pulled. A lock does.
"I don't have anything valuable in there."
Great! Still lock it. An unlocked car is an invitation and on the rare occasion the worst case isn't theft, it's a child wandering in and getting trapped. Not worth it.
"I keep my gun in my car and I haven't written down the serial number."
WHY? WHY? WHY WOULD YOU DO THIS? Please for the love of all things do NOT leave your firearm in your vehicle. A firearm in the wrong hands is a community safety crisis and a responsible gun owner knows their serial number so that if it's stolen, we can actually get it back. Write it down. And then stop leaving your gun in your car.
Lock your cars. Bring valuables inside. And do not leave your firearm in your vehicle. PLEASE.
