From CincinnatiEnquirer.com:
That is Cincinnati Police Department’s new slogan for March, which is Theft From Auto Awareness Month.
The slogan is simple, quick and efficient, much like when a thief smashes a window and breaks into a car.
Everywhere you park a car and leave it unattended, you could be in danger, said Dave Bailey, Cincinnati police District 5 commander. No neighborhood is completely safe.
The old example is It takes less than 10 seconds for a person to break into a car.
The Cincinnati Police Department proved this during the kickoff event. A video showed a man smashing a window, grabbing a GPS system and running.
The time: seven seconds.
Police have a slew of car break-in statistics which may astound you, Police Chief Thomas Streicher said. For example, A car is stolen once every 102 minutes, and 14 vehicles are stolen a day in Cincinnati, police said.
To avoid being a victim, park in well-lit areas and remove all items from the car, Bailey said.
The police are making an educational push starting a push for auto education and awareness because of the approaching warm season. March is a time when snow is melting, the inside of cars become more visible and crime increases, Streicher said.
People are out moving about, and the bad guys are out moving about, he said. What are they looking for? Simple targets.
It may not matter what the target is.
Khadija Monk of Clifton spoke at the event. All she had in her car was a bag of clothes to be donated to Goodwill. Thieves took it after breaking in.
It doesn’t matter what’s in your car, if it’s valuable or not valuable, she said. If they can see it, they’re going to take it and think about it later.
This is why Cincinnati police is pushing their new slogan. They want everyone to make sure their items are out of sight. They will be doing a campaign of fliers, mailings, public-service announcements PSAs and community meetings to combat vehicle break-ins.
To reduce crime in Cincinnati, it all comes down to the driver. A person has to hide their items every time, Streicher said.
The very best prevention we have is people looking after themselves, he said.
Joseph H. Spring, Esq.
MARK E. GODBEY & ASSOCIATES
708 Walnut Street, Suite 600
Cincinnati, Ohio 45202
513-241-6650 phone
(513) 241 – 6649 fax