The theft of electronic devices from parked motor vehicles is occurring at an alarming rate all across the commonwealth. Thieves target GPS units, laptops, iPods, cell phones, and anything else of value to support their drug addiction. In an effort to stem the tide against such thefts, Burlington Police detectives and members of the Vice/Narcotics Unit recently conducted a sting operation at a local hotel. This particular hotel was chosen after consultation with the department’s crime analysis unit. Information provided by patrol officers was analyzed to establish a pattern and time frame for the detectives to utilize in planning the sting.
A bait vehicle with a GPS unit attached to the dashboard was placed in the parking lot. Management of the hotel supplied a room from which officers made observations below for suspicious activity. Detectives monitored the bait vehicle from unmarked cars while communicating with the lookout.
After several hours of surveillance, two men parked their car next to the bait vehicle after noticing the GPS unit. They walked throughout the parking lot searching for other potential targets. The thieves returned to the bait car, smashed out the window and removed the GPS unit from within. Officers quickly moved in and made the arrest. Several electronic devices were recovered from the suspects' vehicle including a laptop, three GPS units and two cell phones. Those devices had been stolen earlier from hotel parking lots along the Route 128 corridor. Detectives were able to track down the victims and return them to their very appreciative owners.
The Burlington Police Department intends to conduct similar stings in the future. We encourage citizens to remain cognizant of any suspicious activity and report it immediately to the police. We also recommend removing electronic items from your vehicle or placing them in the trunk whenever leaving the car unattended.
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4 years ago
2 comments:
Most modern sedans have a split back seat with access into the trunk, so even if items are out of sight, when you leave things in your trunk when you go to the gym the thieves watching see this. We need to have more video and alert front desk / security patrols to catch more of these guys in the act!
Hi - This is true and underscores the need for each of us to take personal responsibility for the safety of ourselves and our possessions.
Given a choice, it is better to hide your possessions than to leave them out on the seat or in another visible area. You can secure the items before arriving so that no one observes you stowing them in the trunk. You can also take only what you need, or take items into the gym with you, although this can be problematic as well.
To expect front desk personnel to be more watchful is probably wishful thinking as they have other things to do. Most gyms do not have security patrols either.
We have to be our own advocates for safety and engage in practices that reduce our risk of being victimized.
Thanks for posting!!
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