Oceanside CA– It’s that time of year again. Everyone wants to go to the beach to enjoy the sun, sand and surf. It’s one of the biggest benefits to living in San Diego County.
The Oceanside Police Department wants everyone to enjoy their time at any of the beaches in our county. We want to take this opportunity to remind everyone what they can do to have a safe day at the beach, and protect their personal belongings.
If you drive to the beach, don’t leave your windows rolled down, even a little. This gives thieves and opportunity to get inside your car to manipulate the door locks. We know it can get hot in the car, but it only takes a few minutes for it to cool off when you get back to it.
Don’t leave your car keys somewhere easily accessible like on top of a tire, tucked under a fender or even in the flap for the gas tank. This gives thieves an opportunity to get into your vehicle and take your belongings. Sometimes they even return the keys where they found them, so you don’t realize your things are gone until long after you leave the beach. In the worst case scenario your car could be stolen.
The easiest way to keep things from getting stolen out of your car, is to leave them at home. Everyone understands that this is not always an option with our wallets, cell phones and purses. So if you have to take valuables to the beach, follow some of these guidelines:
Take it. Keep your valuables with you. Keep your cell phones, wallets, tablets and other electronics with you.
Hide it. Always keep items of value out of plain sight. If people can’t see it, they may not take the time to look for it. If your vehicle doesn’t have a trunk, tuck things under your seat. Remember, if you have a charger in your vehicle, crooks might think there is something of value being charged, like a phone or a tablet. Thieves have been known to break windows to get something valuable that’s in plain view.
Lock it. If it’s valuable, lock it up. Place purses, cell phones, jewelry and other valuables in the trunk of your car if you can. Lock your car. Believe it or not, sometimes it’s pretty easy to forget to do this, especially when we are in a hurry to enjoy some of the great weather at the beach.
And a special message for the surfers out there…
If you are surfing, find a way to bring your car keys with you. Bad guys know that people leave stuff on the beach when hitting the surf. You aren’t fooling anyone by hiding your key in a backpack, on a vehicle tire or by the gas cap of your car. Protect yourself and your belongings.
Everyone should be able to enjoy the great beaches in San Diego County. The Oceanside Police Department wants everyone to have a great time that isn’t ruined by someone stealing their stuff, especially when it may have been prevented by some of these simple practices.