Since this piece mentions burglary in specific, I found it thriving in Southern California (OC), but in a very specific fashion. Very careful criminals are using the following M.O.:
- Parking garages with no cameras
- Security is part time, and they wait until they're gone
- They hit only cars that are unlocked, so no breaking, just entering
- Occasionally, if they see a big score like a laptop, they will break a window, but probably as their last act before getaway.
- They hit a building only once every few months, when people have let down their guard again.
I'd never heard of this until I was a victim, and the police told me the were aware of it but couldn't catch them. Then I asked around and they've hit buildings in several cities. Simply remembering to lock your door and leave nothing obvious on your seats will protect you.
I bring this up because although the crimes are reported to the police, I wonder how much they are reflected in statistics like these.
Laptops and cameras are the two things that would jump out to me. It should be obvious to you or me that you'd bring those inside for the night, but a lot of people don't out of convenience (some members of my family are/were guilty of this). Or maybe it's a work laptop and you just have no need for it inside.
In addition to laptops and cameras mentioned, they also go through your glove box. They stole my (prescription) sunglasses and my $5 phone charger probably thinking it was worth $30.
But some people leave their GPS in there (not everyone has a smartphone for that), or they forget their phone, or maybe keep some emergency cash there.
- Parking garages with no cameras
- Security is part time, and they wait until they're gone
- They hit only cars that are unlocked, so no breaking, just entering
- Occasionally, if they see a big score like a laptop, they will break a window, but probably as their last act before getaway.
- They hit a building only once every few months, when people have let down their guard again.
I'd never heard of this until I was a victim, and the police told me the were aware of it but couldn't catch them. Then I asked around and they've hit buildings in several cities. Simply remembering to lock your door and leave nothing obvious on your seats will protect you.
I bring this up because although the crimes are reported to the police, I wonder how much they are reflected in statistics like these.