Insurance documents and a garage door opener were taken in a series of theft from autos over the weekend. Overnight Friday, May 6th, there were three thefts from autos in the high Quadra area near Tuxedo drive.
In these three instances, it appears the only items taken were vehicle insurance documents and a garage door opener. It does not appear that any force was used in any of the thefts, leading investigators to believe that the vehicles were unlocked.
It is a requirement of the Motor Vehicle Act to produce valid insurance and registration documents upon demand of a peace officer. This requirement does not mean the documents must remain in the car.
Some suggestions are:
- · Keep your vehicle documents with your person and not in the vehicle
- · Do not leave your documents in an obvious place in the vehicle like the glove box
The concern for investigators is that the loss of these documents may lead to potential fraud or impersonation related activities. These documents include a sample of your signature, your driver license number and your address.
As well, when paying for your insurance by the monthly payment plan, do not leave the banking information in the vehicle. This personal information could easily be used in a fraudulent manner.
Leaving garage door openers in the vehicle is never recommended. If a thief enters your vehicle they can view your address from your insurance and then take the garage door opener. It is also important to lock the internal door to the residence from the garage when leaving the house.
11-9384