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With warmer weather approaching I thought it would be beneficial for residents to be reminded that West Easton has had its share of cars being rummaged through and items stolen. My neighbor across the street was a victim. My own locked vehicle was also inspected by the thief, when my security cameras captured the incident in 2015.

The biggest deterrent is just keeping your car doors locked, as past incidents in West Easton have been the result of unlocked doors allowing thieves to quietly enter a vehicle and quickly rummage the interior. Having an older vehicle, even an old, beat up Jeep like mine doesn’t mean a thief will ignore your vehicle when looking at cars for opportunities.

What if a thief is willing to risk the noise of a “smash and grab” based on clues left in that vehicle that indicates the reward is worth the risk?

Flamingmoon Kamal Kime, a convicted felon was sitting in a stolen Honda Pilot when detectives arrested him. After his arrest and spending time in prison, the drug addict emerged from his fog and wanted to do something positive. He gave advice to car owners on how to deter thefts of their vehicle or valuables left inside.

Few car models are safe from window-smashing car prowlers. Kime said it only takes a $2 piece of equipment that can be found at any hardware store to efficiently shatter your back window. “A car alarm doesn’t always go off when you break a window,” he said, “only when you open the door. So you can peel a car out without even setting off the alarm.”

What makes a prowler home in on a certain car? Often, it’s something the owner would never think to hide. A simple dangling white cord could signify an Apple device. A cradle attached to the dash could mean there’s a radar detector in the glove box. A thief doesn’t know the PS4 or iPhone box in the backseat is empty, or that the Jansport bag on the floor of the backseat is bursting with last week’s dirty gym clothes.

“Jackets are a big thing,” Kime said. “When someone sees a jacket, a suit jacket especially, or a nice f***ing North Face, they’re thinking there will be a wallet in it, and they’ll risk breaking a window just to check.”

Otherwise, keep nothing that even looks like it has value visible in the car (like, that Walmart bag on the passenger seat that has trash in it? A thief might hope it has something good), and don’t let things stay plugged in/not plugged in that make it look like you’ve got a GPS or iPod hidden in the glove compartment.

There are a number of things you can do to reduce the chances of a break in. Protect your property by taking the following steps:

Avoid eye appeal

Criminals scout for opportunities, looking for purses, computer bags, smartphones, iPods, etc. that can be seen from the window of a vehicle. Make sure these valuables are not visible. And take the car keys with you on your way out. These tips may seem obvious, but sometimes when drivers are rushing or distracted, common sense can falter. Two out of every five people don’t hide their valuables in vehicles. One-quarter leaves a wallet or purse inside, and one-half display mail in their car. (If either of these items were swiped, not only would there be property loss, but also potential identity theft.)

Leave no trace

Even if drivers remember to stash electronic devices, they often forget about the telltale accessories that tip off intruders, like power plugs, iPod adapters and navigation-system windshield suction-cup mounts. Place these giveaways out of sight, too. As for the telltale sign of the circular smudges left on the windshield from suction cup use, wipe those away, as well.

Hide it before you drive

Thieves are known to stake out retail parking lots and look for shoppers who are placing items in trunks. Although it’s advisable to load personal items (such as computer bags or packages previously purchased from another store) in the trunk as a precautionary measure, it’s best to do so before you arrive at the store, so you don’t tip your hand.

Stay visible

Although you don’t want the vehicle’s interior to attract attention, you need to increase the profile of your actual ride. If you don’t have a garage, park the car in a well-lit part of the street that has lots of traffic. Likewise, if you’re shopping, park in a highly visible location.

Turn it off

One-third of motorists admit they’ve kept an unoccupied automobile running, either to heat it up during the cold months or while running a quick errand. That’s not only inviting a break-in, it’s a perfect setup for outright car theft. In 2014, there were an estimated 8,277,829 property crime offenses in the nation. Motor vehicle theft accounted for 8.3 percent of that number, according to the most recently made available annual data from the FBI. Turn off your car and lock your doors and windows each and every time you exit your car.

*Kine interview reprinted from TheStranger.com