Mission Viejo Police Services is taking an active approach to protect residents against unnecessary property losses from parked vehicles.
In the coming weeks, Mission Viejo’s Crime Prevention unit will send out alert notices to homeowner associations and apartment property managers to share with their residents. The notices provide simple steps residents can follow to substantially decrease their chances of becoming victims. Notices will also be posted by Police Services volunteers in some public parking areas.
“We want to get the word out,” said Chief of Police Services Lt. Mike Gavin. “Residents can take a few simple steps to help prevent them from becoming victims of one of the City’s most preventable crimes, property theft from locked and unlocked vehicles.”
Simple steps include always locking your vehicle and removing personal property. Visible property of any value can be an open invitation to thieves, who will break a window for the change in your center console, a pack of cigarettes or even unopened mail left on a seat. Thieves can also gain access to locked garages if they’re able to remove garage door openers from parked vehicles.
Residents should report all suspicious people or activities to the Sheriff’s Department when observed. For more information, contact the Crime Prevention Unit at crimeprevention@cityofmissionviejo.org or 949-470-8433.
