The City of Kent experiences nearly 60 car related incidents per week.  With this in mind, and the holidays around the corner, consider these car safety tips so you don’t become another statistic:

1.  Lock your car, every time, even if you are just leaving it for a minute!

2. Put valuables in your trunk BEFORE arriving at your destination (like the gym or grocery store).  Someone can see you put them in your trunk, and still break in.

3. Don’t leave your car running to “warm it up.” It is way too easy for a stranger to hop in and drive off.

4. Report suspicious people in parking lots who are lingering and/or looking in windows. Call 9-1-1.

5.  Be aware of your surroundings.

If we all take just a few seconds to practice these safety techniques, we can reduce the number of car prowls in and around Kent.

Crime stats:

Download the Kent PD Crime Stats for the week of 8/18 – 8/24/09 here, including Vehicle Prowls, Vehicle Thefts, Residential Burglaries and Commercial Burglaries.

Crime update:

The Kent Police Department arrested a suspect responsible for at least 8 burglaries of downtown businesses. Over the past few months, there have been several smash and grab type of burglaries (suspect smashes a glass window or door to gain access to the business). The suspect, who lives within walking distance of the downtown area, was arrested last week.

As a reminder, to prevent these types of crimes, you can secure your business by purchasing security film that is installed in windows and on glass doors. Security film can be purchased at most window stores. Also, consider removing all large rocks or objects that can be used to throw through a window.  As always, continue to keep your eyes and ears open for suspicious activity and do not hesitate to call 911. Thank you for being partners in crime prevention!

Provided by the Kent Police Department on 8/26/09.