It only takes a thief seconds to break into your vehicle. Like almost every other city in Texas, Longview has seen an increase in motor vehicle burglaries. 34 cars a day are burglarized in Longview, but there are several things you can do to reduce the chances that your vehicle will be burglarized:
Lock your car doors. Sounds simple, but a recent analysis of vehicles burglarized revealed that one in four vehicles were left unlocked.
Do not leave valuables in your car. 83% of all vehicles burglarized had something of value that was portable and left inside while the car was unattended. The most frequently stolen items in vehicle burglaries are GPS units, radar detectors, purses, cell phones, mp3 players or iPods, and firearms. A vehicle is never a secure place to store these items. If you aren't able to remove the item from your vehicle, please hide it from view. Many car burglars walk through parking lots pulling on door handles and looking in windows for valuables when deciding which vehicles to
burglarize.
Have the serial numbers of your electronics recorded and in kept in a safe place. Many times, Longview Officers arrest vehicle burglars with GPS units and electronics and it is difficult to match the items to a burglary without the serial number. If your vehicle is burglarized, having the serial number to your stolen property will increase the chances the crime will be solved and your property being returned.