Oceanside CA— It’s that time of year again. The weather is warmer and everyone want s to enjoy it. It’s one of the biggest benefits to living in San Diego County. However, recently there has been a rise in thefts reported from vehicles in Oceanside.
The Oceanside Police Department wants everyone to enjoy their time anywhere in the city. We want to take this opportunity to remind everyone what they can do to have a safe day, and protect their personal belongings.
Whenever you park your car, don’t leave your windows rolled down, even a little. This gives thieves an opportunity to get inside your car to manipulate the door locks. We know it can get hot in the car during the summer, but it only takes a few minutes for it to cool off when you get back into 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’re on the road. 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 along with you, 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.

And even though the current thefts are not specifically related to beachgoers, here is 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 this summer 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.