A Tulsa burglary investigator provides tips for keeping thieves out of your car

You might be tempted to leave your belongings in your car after returning to school and shopping, but doing so can attract thieves.

A burglary investigator offered guidance and learned some tricks for securing your valuables inside your vehicle.

“We see occasionally during the holiday season and other occasions where there is a lot of shopping, and people tend to leave stuff in their cars because they go from business to business,” said Tulsa Police Lt. Tim Means. “It’s one of those things it’s a target-rich environment for these suspects to go and find stuff to steal.”

According to Means, a burglary investigator, having a backseat full of shopping bags might make you a prime target for burglars. Are there any secure methods to leave shopping bags in a car then?

The greatest advice I can give you, said Means, is to take your belongings with you as you shop, finish your purchases, and then place them in the trunk of your car before moving on to the next store.

According to Means, thieves frequently search for open cars, but if they spot anything they want inside a locked car, they won’t hesitate to shatter a glass. He advises you to think carefully before leaving a handbag behind, even if it’s hidden beneath a seat, before entering a business.

“Don’t carry it if you’re not going to take it. Bring it not. Leave that at home, please. All you need to bring are your credit cards, which you can slip into your pocket, and an ID.

In the event that you become a victim of a burglary, you should phone your bank after filing a police complaint.

“You want to cancel those as soon as you can if you’re the victim of something where you lose that sort of information so that these folks don’t have the chance to go rack up a load of credit on your credit card,” the expert said.