What to do if you see someone burglarizing your vehicle
AUSTIN (KXAN) — On Wednesday, the Travis County Sheriff’s Office issued a warning to residents regarding vehicle burglaries.
TCSO cautioned residents against following or chasing after burglars.
“If you discover someone burglarizing your vehicle, remember, there’s nothing in that car or truck more valuable than your life. Please, don’t take the risk by confronting or chasing the burglar,” TCSO Sheriff Sally Hernandez said.
The office said that over the last two years, it has worked four cases where residents saw someone burglarizing their vehicle and then chased the burglar(s) as they fled.
“In two of the cases, the residents were shot at by the burglar and fortunately, were not harmed. In one case, the resident chased the burglar in his vehicle," TCSO said. "His son, who was a passenger in the vehicle, was shot and critically injured. And in one case, the resident was murdered."
The office said it was also currently investigating a case where a driver chased a truck that left after hitting the front of his vehicle. TCSO said in that case, a weapon was displayed but no shots were fired.
If someone witnesses a vehicle burglary, TCSO recommended calling 911 and being the best witness possible.
“Pay attention to what the suspect/s look like, details about the vehicle they’re driving and any license plate information,” TCSO said.
The office also provided the following tips to help prevent vehicle burglaries:
- Park your vehicle in well-lit areas
- Always lock all doors
- Never leave your keys in the vehicle
- Take valuables with you or store them out of sight
- Install security cameras
“Vehicle burglars don’t want to get caught, so they look for easy opportunities that are quiet and fast. If they don’t see valuables and the doors are locked, they usually move on,” TCSO said.