As Temperature Rises, so Do Thefts from Cars

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Just as warmer weather and longer days

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Harold the arrival of Spring and Summer,

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so do car burglaries in the area.

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So the Cortez Police Department

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reminds residents

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to lock your cars.

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You're watching the Local News Network

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brought to you by Big O Tires and

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Whole Health Family Medicine

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I'm Wendy Graham Settle.

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When the warmer weather and

longer days arrive in Spring

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more and more people will be out and about

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and that increases opportunities

for theft from cars.

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According to Cortez Police statistics,

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residents reported 57

vehicle break-ins in 2020.

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The majority of which occurred

during Spring and Summer.

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Vehicle break-ins are

a crime of opportunity

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so, if you leave a set of circumstances

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for someone to do something, opportunity,

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they're going to do it.

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So, if your vehicles are unlocked,

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and you live in a heavy, you

know, a large residential area

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that are within walking

distance of say like,

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you know Walmart, City

Market, the city parks

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they walk through neighborhoods

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and they just randomly check car doors

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until they can find one that's unlocked.

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Or they'll look in through windows

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and if they see anything

of value, a purse,

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even loose change, any kind of money,

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electronics, cell phones,

anything like that.

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They'll break the windows,

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but typically the ones that we have,

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the doors have been left unlocked.

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Maynard knows personally

than an unlocked car

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is an invitation to theft.

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He awakened one night to find

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a stranger sitting in the family car

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parked in the driveway.

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All the thief took was spare change,

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but it was gone nonetheless.

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Maynard also encourages residents to stash

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bikes and toys out of sight

during the Summer months.

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And, more importantly...

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Under no circumstance

should you leave a weapon

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including a firearm inside your vehicle.

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Those are ones that they will

break a window for to get to

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criminals don't care

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if they can get their

hands on an illegal weapon,

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it'd be best for them

and would be best for you

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you know, not to leave

that in the vehicle.

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Make sure that stays in your home.

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For other safety tips,

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visit the Police Department's website

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at cityofcortez.com or like the Department

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on it's Facebook Page.

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Thanks for watching this edition

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of the Local News Network.

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Be sure to stay on top

of the latest stories

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that we release through Twitter,

Instagram, and our website

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I'm Wendy Graham Settle.

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