CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. (CLARKSVILLENOW) – The Clarksville Police Department (CPD) is reminding citizens to lock their vehicles and never leave them unattended while running as the number of vehicle thefts and burglaries continues to increase.
From Oct 26-29, there were six vehicles stolen in Clarksville and five of those thefts involved keys or fobs that were left inside unlocked vehicles. The sixth vehicle had a spare key missing, but it was not determined if it was used in the theft. All six vehicles were located and recovered in Clarksville.
There were 17 vehicle burglaries during that same time period, with 11 of those showing no signs of forced entry. One case involved a boat on a trailer which had fishing gear and equipment stolen from the boat while it was parked. In addition, three guns were stolen from the unlocked vehicles.
“In a change from the norm, six vehicles had their windows broken to make entry. But it was also discovered three had purses, one had a wallet, and an iPad readily visible inside of the vehicles,” CPD spokesman Jim Knoll said.
The burglaries and thefts were spread throughout the city.
CPD would like to emphasize the concept of Park Smart to help reduce the chances of becoming a victim:
First, LOCK YOUR VEHICLE- Always lock your car and close your windows, even for short periods of time, when your vehicle is unattended.
Second, SECURE YOUR VALUABLES- A vehicle becomes a desirable target when you leave purses, money, laptops, and cellphones visible to passersby. Also, leaving firearms inside of a vehicle overnight, unsecured, or without some sort of positive control can be a formula for disaster.
Third, TAKE YOUR KEYS WITH YOU- Never leave the key in the ignition or fob in the car when it is unattended or running.