You have read many past warnings about what thieves look for when burglarizing vehicles--- laptops, radar detectors, purses, etc. Well, we have recently had to pull out our "Vehicle Burglary" prevention brochure and update it with a new target -- some of you, unfortunately, already know what's coming.

The "latest and greatest" vehicle burglary "item of preference" are the portable GPS navigation units, such as "Tom-Tom" and "Magellan." We have had a few stolen in Richardson and my next door neighbor had hers taken out of her van one night while parked in the driveway. If you will take a few minutes to read the MSNBC article (see link below), you will see – just like I did – just what is fueling the fire. $100 to $150 for each unit on the street! Yikes! That is way better than radar detectors and such.

In fact, thieves are so much "on the hunt" for these units that they look for the little circle left behind on the windshield by the unit's suction cup. So, be careful with that little friend that tells you where to go and how to get there.

Record the unit's serial number. It won't get pawned, but police might find it inside a crook's car some day. Remove it from the car overnight. Hide it and remove telltale evidence of its existence during short-term parking. Better yet, stow it and carry it with you in your briefcase or backpack.

Here is something else. That little screen can be easily seen from behind and either side, so it is easy to follow a potential target into a neighborhood, apartment community, or a mall parking lot and wait for the owner to park and walk away. I see many motorists driving around with their GPS units on all the time, so it is akin to advertising what one has while cruising around town. I can understand using GPS on the highway or when going to an unfamiliar destination, but turn it off and put it away when not needed. That's what I say anyway.

Click Here for MSNBC article

Officer John Corbitt
Crime Prevention Unit -- West Sector
Richardson Police Department