Sumner Police Warn of Increased Car Prowls

Patch received this press release from the City of Sumner. We are investigating the car prowls and will update you with a story soon.

Sumner, WA—The Sumner Police Department is experiencing an increase in the number of vehicle prowls this year and is recommending owners take precautions to reduce the likelihood of becoming a victim.  There have been thirteen reported prowls over the last month, and there are likely others that have not been reported.  Car prowls are particularly hard to resolve because they often occur in the middle of the night and the typical car prowler is in and out in a matter of a minute or two.  An experienced prowler can gain access to a car in virtually seconds and be gone before anyone realizes what has occurred.   While prowlers may steal expensive equipment such as GPS, cell phones, or other electronics, lately Sumner Police have seen prowlers going after registrations and other paperwork which are used to commit fraud. 

The Police Department recommends the following to reduce risk of becoming a victim of car prowl or theft.

1. Before leaving your car, always remove the keys, roll up the windows, and lock the car, no matter how long you plan to be gone. 
2. Don’t leave items of value in your car.  This includes items in the glove compartment, ash tray, or center console. 
3. If you use a GPS device with suction cups attached to the windshield, wipe the windshield after you remove the device so that the suction cup “rings” don’t alert prowlers to the likelihood of your device being concealed within the vehicle.
4. Park your car in a garage, or in a well-lit, visible or open area.  Consider a motion sensing light if you park your car outside at night.
5. If your car has an alarm, make sure it is set properly and use it.  If it activates, be a good neighbor and respond to it promptly.
6. Participate in a Block Watch program and report any suspicious activity to the police.  For information on hosting your neighbors for a Block Watch, visit this webpage: http://www.ci.sumner.wa.us/Government/Police/Sumner_police_block_watch.htm

Sumner Police also recommend that people not store their garage door openers in vehicles since the opener is in many cases a key to their houses.   They also recommend copying down serial numbers of all electronics they own to help police track the item if it is pawned or located.  More crime prevention tips are available online at http://www.ci.sumner.wa.us/Government/Police/Sumner_police_crime_prev.htm.