Hi everyone, I am just letting you know that I just had my Dodge Caravan stolen on West 11th Street in Tremont. Police report has been filed. There seems to be more of this going on in the area.

Hi, I am letting everyone know that the van was recoverd and was found in Tremont in a driveway of an abandoned house on West 6th Strert. the Police dept. said it is probably some area kids who wanted to go for a joy ride on Thanksgiving. they busted up the radio, heater vents, ramsacked the van, tore out the ignition, and dash. Obviously done by some locals.

Although the robberies may be outsiders, more than likely the cars being stolen are being perpetrated by those in the W 6th area. So what does the police say they are going to do? Are they going to put some bait cars out there? Are they going to get some plainclothes detectives walking around W 6th? Nobody in Tremont should have to worry about their cars being stolen all the time.

How not to be the candy store for thieves

by Bengt Halvorson

The
National Insurance Crime Bureau says that once every 20 seconds in the
United States a vehicle is stolen - and that theft from vehicles occurs
far more often than that. While conventional alarms, steering wheel
locks, ignition cutoffs, vehicle tracking systems, and other anti-theft
devices help deter thieves from breaking into your car or stealing it,
there are some basic, common-sense measures that you can take to
minimize the chances that your parked vehicle will be targeted in the
first place:

Always lock all doors and close windows, even if you're going to be parked for a very short time. Never leave your
car running while you run into a convenience store, go to an ATM, etc.

Park in a well-lighted area. Find a space near a store entrance or higher-traffic area, never in an outlying, deserted
parking area. Park in attended lots whenever possible.

Don't leave any valuables in the car.
Keep any loose objects in the trunk or in storage bins under the seat.
A blanket covering things can be an obvious invitation for a break-in.
Minimize the number of small objects in your car-they're great bait for
thieves!

Parallel-park on main roads. Parking on visible major roads is safer than parking on side streets or alleys. If
you're parallel parking, park with the front wheels turned into the curb and the parking brake applied.

Choose an open, visible space. If you have a small car, try to avoid parking next to large trucks and SUVs, which
give thieves good cover from security cameras and passers-by.

Never hide spare keys in or around the car. Experienced thieves know all the hiding places.

Don't leave parking stubs in the car. It just makes it a little bit easier for thieves to be inconspicuous. Take
them with you.

Get a locking gas cap. If your vehicle does not already have one, it helps prevent fuel siphoning and vandalism.

Use a sound system with a detachable face, or a sound system that can be removed completely from the vehicle.

Don't lock your glove box, and don't keep valuables in it.
If your car is broken into, a locked globe box can be an invitation for
an annoyed petty thief to tear your dashboard up to get it open. Do not
store your vehicle's title in the glove compartment or anywhere else in
the car.

Don't park in the same place every day. Thieves will often plan ahead and wait for the right opportunity to come
along.

Don't ever think that your car is too old and worn to be the target of thieves.
Most often, stolen cars are stripped for parts rather than for resale,
and the overall condition of the car makes little difference. High-tech
alarm systems may thwart break-in attempts, but usually some damage
results. The best protection against thieves is to make your car
unattractive to them in the first place.

I have heard that people living on W.11th have been asked to leave their porch lights ON to help prevent thefts of cars. Perhaps, those not co-operating, should be asked to do so.