Captain’s Message:
I would like to talk about the crimes surrounding vehicles, namely car break-ins, stolen cars and stolen catalytic converters.
Car Break-ins. Ingleside Police District has seen a rise in car break-ins. This type of crime typically effects the more affluent neighborhoods and where the streets are still during the late hours of the night. Glen Park, Noe Valley, Miraloma Park and Precita Park are areas where we’ve seen an increase. Most of these areas have darken, isolated streets, where criminals can slip in and slip out without being seen or heard. To deter car break-ins, avoid leaving anything in your car, not even a nickel. The thief will think other change is inside. Don’t leave a charger cord. The thief will think a cell phone or laptop is inside. What you may think is not very valuable, a thief thinks is a treasure. In some instances, nothing is taken. The thief will take a chance that something of value might be inside your car. Keep your outside light on at night, so the area in front of your home is illuminated. Report suspicious persons or activity to the police, especially pers! ons looking into cars late at night.
Stolen Cars. The majority of the cars stolen in the Ingleside Police District are Toyotas, Nissans, Hondas and Acuras built in the 1990’s and early 2000’s. Thieves obtain special keys, like a master key, that can unlock and start a car very quickly. If you have this type of car, you may want to invest in a secondary anti-theft device like a steering wheel lock or an alarm. This extra precaution may deter a thief to move on to the next target.
Catalytic Converters. Catalytic converters are part of a car’s exhaust system just like a muffler. They are the size of a loaf of bread. The converters are made with a small amount of precious metal that can be sold to metal recyclers. The vehicles targeted by thieves are Toyota and Nissan pick-ups and SUV’s. Since the vehicle sits higher off the ground than most, it allows easy access to the undercarriage. The thief needs just a few tools to separate the converter from the exhaust system. The replacement costs range from $700 to $1000. These crimes usually happen in the late night hours and is difficult to spot, since the thief is under a vehicle. If you or a neighbor has this type of vehicle, you must be extra vigilant of suspicious persons and odd, metallic noises from the street.
Thank you for assistance,
Captain Louis Cassanego
Ingleside Station