During the month of February, the Washoe County Sheriff’s Office saw a large increase in vehicle burglaries at several of our local parks and trailheads – a concerning trend, leading the Sheriff’s Office to encourage citizens to leave valuables at home when enjoying the outdoors.
In several of the cases, suspects would look inside parked cars, searching for something believed to be valuable. After checking to see if the vehicle was unlocked, suspects would simply open the door and help themselves to items in the car. During the month of February, however, there was also an increase in window break burglaries at parks and trailheads. The common theme in each case is that items were left in plain sight, creating a crime of opportunity.
The Sheriff’s Office encourages citizens to leave valuables at home and, if you absolutely must bring valuables while enjoying the outdoors, hide them or risk losing them.
If you become a victim of one of these crimes, call non-emergency dispatch at (775) 785-WCSO (9276) and remain on scene with your vehicle until deputies arrive. If you have credit or debit cards stolen, cancel your cards as soon as possible and report any fraudulent uses to deputies immediately.
