How Not to Become the Next Victim

With the , Celina Corley, the city's crime prevention specialist, thought it was a good time to review some safety tips.

Even before news of the April 12 burglary spread across Southland media this week, Corley was working on a glossy tip sheet to leave on car windows.

Recently, she went to the parking lot of  to distribute the placards, and what she could see through the car windows was a thieves’ cornucopia of temptation: briefcases, purses, men’s wallets, iPods and iPhones recharging.

“I was informing them what was going on. The [gym] members would say, ‘Oh my God, I better get my purse.’”

In fact, it was a stolen purse that allowed the suspected burglars, , to gain entry into the gate-guarded Hidden Mountain home, law enforcement officials have said.

The suspects not only took the homeowner’s purse with a driver’s license that contained her home address, they also grabbed the house’s garage door opener, which gave them access to the house, sheriff’s deputies have said.

“I know it’s convenient to keep [the garage door clicker] in the car, but if you can, you should take it with you like your keys,” Corley said.

Another mistake drivers of newer cars with keyless entry will make, Corley said, is to leave the key ring – with both the car and the house keys on it – in the glove compartment. Thieves then will be able to drive your car away and can enter your home.

Drivers may also want to consider keeping their house keys and car keys on separate chains, Corley said.

“Your vehicle is like a gateway,” she said. By storing belongings in your car, “you open yourself up to various crimes, including theft and identity theft.”

Other tips from the city:

• If you must leave valuables in your vehicle, place items out of sight before reaching your destination.
• Always lock your car and roll up the windows.
• Park in well lit locations and avoid isolated areas.
• Don’t leave your vehicle running and unattended.
• Install an alarm system with a kill switch.
• Install a locking fuel cap.

“I’m also interested in expanding neighborhood watch in all communities for all residents, English- and Spanish-speaking,” Corley said. To contact her, call (949) 443-6370.