Police: Simple solution to spiking crime

CLEARWATER, Fla. - Car break-ins are happening more frequently in the Countryside area and many of them are preventable, Clearwater Police said.

They noticed the number of break-ins spiking recently in that area. They are now asking people in that area to make sure their car doors are always locked.

While that may seem like common sense, Clearwater Police community liaison officer for the east district Kim Kilian said about one in five parked vehicles in Clearwater are actually unlocked.

Furthermore, in 439 of 775 (57 percent) car break-ins this year in Clearwater, the doors were unlocked or open.

“You immediately become a target for burglary when that happens,” Kilian said.

She adds that burglars are looking for two things. The first is an unlocked door. The second is something to steal.

That’s why she also recommends not leaving anything of value on your seat or your console. She said the most popular target for burglars now are GPS systems.

Clearwater Police are walking neighborhoods, testing out car door locks and warning those people whose doors were left unlocked that the crime is happening frequently in their area.