The Festus Police Department has kicked off a campaign called the “9 p.m. Routine,” which is designed to reduce thefts in the city, Chief Tim Lewis said.
He said the program encourages people to get into the habit of checking at 9 p.m. each night to make sure their vehicles, garages and homes are locked up and their belongings have been brought inside.
“We just don’t want to have more victims,” Lewis said. “It’s, basically, because victims can make it easy for someone to rob them by leaving a purse or a gun in a car and the car unlocked.”
He said surveillance footage repeatedly shows that most thefts in the city are “crimes of convenience.”
“We live in a safe area,” Lewis said. “But, we still see the same thefts they see in other areas. You’ll see a carload of people get out of the car and start walking around checking car doors to see if they’re open.”
An open garage door or unlocked door at a house also invites criminals to enter, he said.
Lewis said the simple routine of checking to make sure everything is locked up will make it more difficult for criminals to operate.
“Lock your car. Take your guns out of the car. Lock your house and garage door,” he said.
Lewis stressed the problem is widespread, but he is particularly concerned about stopping thefts in Festus.
He also asks residents to call 911 in an emergency or 636-937-3646 for non-emergencies if they see suspicious behavior.