A gentle reminder to secure your vehicles and remove personal belongings from plain view when leaving vehicles unattended.
In 2020, there were 408 vehicle burglaries and 176 firearms stolen in Okaloosa County. Nearly all of these cases were preventable, as 95% of the vehicles were left unlocked. To keep your valuables safe, remember to:
- Lock your doors and roll up the windows – suspects often look for unlocked cars, especially in poor weather when there are fewer people outdoors to notice suspicious activity.
- Turn off your car – never leave the car running or left unattended; take the keys out of the ignition.
- Take your valuables – don’t leave anything of value in the vehicle or in plain sight.
- Hide your things – if you can’t carry everything with you, hide them in the trunk or under a seat out of view.
- Keep your keys with you – especially if there is someone at home that you don’t want to have access to the car when you are not there.
- Park in secure areas – keep your vehicle in the driveway or garage. Avoid parking on the street, if possible, and choose street parking in well-lit areas or under motion activated lights.
- If you have an alarm, don’t forget to activate it.