CPD Urges Residents To Lock Vehicles And Remove Valuables

December 28, 2016

By Brian Hughes

CRESTVIEW — The Crestview Police Department urges residents to assist officers in combating vehicular burglary crimes of opportunity by removing valuables, including guns, then locking their cars.

“It’s a commonsense kind of thing,” Officer Corey Newcomb said.

On Christmas Day, officers, including Newcomb, arrested two juveniles who not only were operating a stolen vehicle, but were in possession of two handguns left in the car they stole and another car. Neither vehicle was locked, and the owner of the car the youths stole had left its keys in the ignition.

Deputy Police Chief Rick Brown said residents and officers’ lives can be placed in danger by irresponsible gun owners who don’t take their firearms out of their vehicles when parking, only to have their weapons easily stolen.

“It also ties up officers who must respond to these sorts of crimes of opportunity when more serious incidents might be happening elsewhere,” Brown said.

Crestview Police Investigator Len Steinmeier said in the majority of vehicle break-ins, the burglars and car thieves didn’t damage the vehicles. “Most of the time they’re just opening unlocked doors,” he said. “They’re not breaking windows. If someone has a weapon in their vehicle, they need to take it out, then lock the car.”