Believe it or not, the holiday season will soon be upon us.  While we are all preparing for family festivities, criminals are preparing for opportunities to take advantage of your holiday shopping spree!  The November and December holiday season historically sees an increase in criminal activities, but motor vehicle theft is one of the most common criminal activities that takes place year-round.

As a homeowner there are several things you can do to help avoid being the victim of this type of activity:

• Always remove your keys, roll up windows, and lock your car. Never leave your keys in the car while you are away, even if your car is parked in your garage.
• Do not leave valuables in your car, even if they are out of sight. If you must leave something valuable in your vehicle, lock it in the trunk.  If a criminal sees items of value in a vehicle, then they are more likely to break into that vehicle.
• The most common items stolen from vehicles are:
  • GPS Devices
  • Video Players
  • Handguns
  • Money
  • Briefcases
  • Laptop Computers
  • Purses
  • Smartphones
  • Tools
• If possible, park your car in your garage. The next best alternative is your driveway.  Try to avoid street parking, cars parked on the street are broken into more frequently than cars parked in a driveway.
• Always activate your car alarm if you have one.
• If you are leaving town, sign up for the Vacation Watch Service through the Sheriff’s Office, at https://apps.harriscountyso.org/Programs/programs_VacationWatch.aspx/. When completing the form, select MUD 71 from the “HCSO Contracts” dropdown menu.
• Report any suspicious activity immediately to the Sheriff’s or Constable’s Office.

In event of an emergency, get to a safe location and call 9-1-1. To report suspicious activity or non-emergency criminal activities you may call:

Harris County Constable Precinct 5 – (281) 463-6666

Harris County Sheriff’s Office – (713) 221-6000