http://decisionpublications.com/nvcnews2

     There are many challenges in a city this size. Over the years, I’ve wasted time and energy worrying about things I had no ability to change. It doesn’t help to be somewhat of an optimist and think if I only say or do the "right" thing, whatever I’m worrying about will change. Every now and again, I’m pleasantly surprised and things work the way I think they should. But much of the time my efforts go wasted. Which brings me to the point of this article.

     There are six geographical Areas in Valley Bureau of the Los Angeles Police Department. You know them by their station names, Devonshire, Foothill, West Valley, etc. The biggest crime problem we face is Burglary/Theft From Motor Vehicle crime (B/TFMV). The difference between a burglary from motor vehicle and a theft from motor vehicle is, in a burglary the suspect had to break into the car to steal something. In a theft, the car was left unlocked, or the property was removed from the outside of the vehicle.

     B/TFMV crimes are the most prevalent crime problem we have in the Valley. The most frustrating aspect of these crimes is that, very often, they can be prevented. I think every Senior Lead Officer and their Captains have spoken to citizens at various meetings asking, warning, and even begging the public to lock their cars and not leave items of value inside. To us, it seems those warnings fall on deaf ears.

     Every single day we get numerous reports of purses, wallets, computers, Ipods, and money being stolen from cars. Those are some of the items most commonly stolen. And most of those crimes could have been prevented if the owner had just taken their property with them when they left their car – or if that wasn’t possible, at least put the property out of sight. Many B/TFMV crimes are crimes of opportunity. That means a person is walking by your car not necessarily thinking they want to break into a car, but gee, when there is a brand new Ipod sitting on the seat, why not? By leaving property in plain view, you’ve helped them make up their mind. Smashing a window and removing property takes seconds!

     But let’s say you always lock your car and take your property with you. Does that guarantee you won’t be the victim of a B/TFMV? I wish I could say yes, but the answer is no. There are crooks out there that are NOT opportunists, but are organized thieves. They have an agenda, and in some instances, shopping lists. These are the guys (or girls) who break into cars to take the stereo, navigation system, expensive tires and wheels, or DVD players. Several months ago there were crooks who were specifically stealing the third row seats of the large SUVs. By the nature of the property they’re stealing, these crimes might take slightly longer than an opportunist crime, but not much. It still happens very fast. And don’t be fooled by thinking that if you park your car in your driveway it’s safe from crime. It’s not. In fact, several years ago we had some crooks who removed radiators and seatbelts out of vehicles parked in the driveways. If you can park your car in a garage, that’s your best bet…but if you do, don’t leave the keys in the car! We’ve had several cars stolen under those ircumstances.

     I know it’s discouraging when the bad guys seem so determined, but the facts are most of the B/TFMV crimes are crimes of opportunity. So, lock your car and take your property with you. Let’s take the power from those opportunists and we all might be pleasantly surprised.

     Kathy Bennett has been a Los Angeles Police Officer for 18 years and currently is assigned as the Senior Lead Officer for Basic Car 17A55 in Devonshire Area. She can be reached at (818) 634-0495 or This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it