Cheyenne Car Burglaries Increasing

Cheyenne Police Department spokesman Officer Dan Long says that while car burglaries have long been one of the most common crimes in Cheyenne, the problem seems to be getting  worse recently.

Long says a surprising number of items are taken from unlocked vehicles that have been left unattended, often while sitting out on a street overnight. He says that while items such as guns, computers and cash are year-round targets, car burglaries usually increase during the holiday shopping season as thieves steal Christmas presents, often in broad daylight while the owner is shopping in a local stores.

But Long says a few simple steps can reduce your chances of being targeted.

He says first and foremost, you should always lock your vehicle and never leave valuable items sitting out in plain sight, even in the daytime. Long says if you are making multiple stops while shopping, you should at least leave anything you buy in the trunk of the car with the vehicle  locked.

He says a surprising number of auto burglaries and even car thefts happen in cold weather because motorists go out and start their cars and then leave them running unattended. He says if you really feel you need to leave the vehicle unattended while it warms up, you should at least make sure it's locked while it runs, even if that means getting an extra key made.

And finally Long says you should never under any circumstances leave guns, cash, computers or other valuables sitting out overnight. in an unattended car.

Leaving such a vehicle unlocked is even worse, but Long says it happens surprisingly often in Cheyenne.

He also advises parking your car in a garage if you have one, or in a well-lit highly visible area if that isn't an option.