Two car break-ins in Pevely in the last month have prompted Police Chief Ron Weeks to issue a reminder to holiday shoppers that they should take precautions.
“It’s not just people not locking their cars,” Weeks said. “Last month we had two vehicles broken into when both drivers left their purses where they were visible.
“Don’t leave valuables in there or at least don’t make them visible to people just walking by,” he said. “You’re making yourself a convenient, easy target.”
The first theft occurred Oct. 3 at a business in the 8700 block of Commercial Boulevard. The victim, a 26-year-old De Soto woman, returned to her 2003 Ford Escape to find her back window smashed out and her purse gone. It contained credit cards, a Social Security card and debit cards.
On Oct. 7, a 42-year-old O’Fallon woman returned to her 2012 Jeep Wrangler parked at a business in the 1500 block of East Marble Springs Road and found someone had unbuttoned its canvas top and taken her wallet. Credit cards and $20 were stolen.
“With Black Friday and the holiday shopping season coming, people will be having a lot of stuff in their cars,” Weeks said. “Don’t make yourself an attractive target.”
Festus Police Chief Tim Lewis said while he had no recent incidents to report, area law enforcement officials particularly worry about people leaving firearms in their vehicles.
“Christmastime is approaching and we get a lot of reports of people leaving things in their cars,” Lewis said. “Unfortunately, in Festus, a lot of times firearms are among the items taken. We reiterate, ‘Please don’t leave firearms in your car.’ I feel like a broken record because it keeps happening.”
He said any items left in a vehicle make it a more promising target for thieves.
“If someone walks by your car at 2 a.m. and doesn’t see anything, chances are they will move on to something else,” Lewis said.