Police in Brownsville has multiple alerts out for a man suspected of burglarizing motor vehicles in the Gulf Coast border city.
KVEO-TV / ValleyCentral.com posted a Brownsville Police Department alert on September 9 with photos of a man sought by police in connection with a car burglary. The surveillance camera images were captured on July 24, on the 700 block of Calle Milpa Verde.
The following day, Brownsville PD posted a person-of-interest alert with a photo of what appears to be the same man. Police ask that anyone with information about the identity or whereabouts of the individual depicted contact Brownsville Crime Stoppers at (956) 546-TIPS (8477). The man is a person of interest in a burglary of a motor vehicle that occurred on September 7 at a local business on the 4500 block of E. 14th Street.
The attorneys at Herrman & Herrman recognize that car burglary is an ongoing problem in Brownsville and throughout Texas. Car burglars are opportunists looking to make quick money. There are some steps you can take to deter them.
Car Burglary Protection Tips for Brownsville
The following tips from the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley Police, Houston Chronicle and Freedom National Insurance Services can reduce the likelihood of your car from being burglarized.
- Park in Well-Lit and Secure Areas. Darkness provides cover for thieves. If your car is parked in a well-lit area, a thief will recognize that his chances of being seen are higher and may well skip your vehicle. Park in well-lit parking lots or near street lights. When available, park in attended parking lots or in the garage if you have one at your home.
- Raise the Windows and Lock the Doors. Thieves are opportunists. A burglar’s dream is to find a car that is unlocked. In a parking lot or on a neighborhood street, most thieves will move on to the next vehicle as soon as they find a locked car door. Some say you should leave a window down so a thief won’t break a window out. But most thieves don’t want to go to the trouble to break a window or force it down or jimmy a lock. They are looking for the easiest target for a quick score.
- Remove or Hide Valuables. Thieves want to move quickly. Experts say a thief will skip cars if after a quick glance if it appears they don’t have anything of value in them. Never leave money, checkbooks, credit cards, wallets or any electronic devices such as cell phones, iPods or laptops in plain view inside a vehicle. Remove or hide valuables before you get to your destination. A burglar could be watching a parking lot and see you stash a computer bag under a blanket.
- Install a Security System and Advertise It. If your car did not come with an audible alarm system, install one. Many car alarms systems include sensors activated by unauthorized entry into the car’s passenger compartment, hood or trunk. Some car alarms will send a notification to your smart phone so that you know that it has been activated, no matter where you are. Put decals for the car alarm on your car widows to deter thieves. Get into the habit of always activating auto alarms or anti-theft devices.
- Make the Car Stereo Less Attractive. Stolen car stereos are easy to sell on the street. Many after-market stereos are made so that the faceplate can be removed, disguising its brand and value. Some stereos can be removed altogether. Get into the habit of removing the faceplate or the stereo and stashing it in your locked glovebox or trunk. If a professional installer wants to put a decal on your window to advertise their services and/or the stereo brand, tell them you would rather not.
- Report Car Break-Ins. Report an auto burglary as soon as possible, regardless of what has been taken. File the report based on where it happened. The Brownsville Police Department’s Online Citizens’ Police Reporting system allows you to file a report immediately, print a copy of the police report for free to support an insurance claim and receive follow-ups from police. The incident needs to have occurred within the Brownsville city limits and you need to have an email account to receive updates on your report.
Earlier this year, the Brownsville Police Department received more than $889,000 from the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles to help crackdown on car burglaries in the city, according to KRGV TV. The grant was expected to help pay salaries for eight investigators.
Because of an increase in auto burglaries and theft last fall, Brownsville Police stepped up parking patrols during the holiday season last year. Police visited random shopping center parking lots and left burglary prevention notices on the vehicles of individuals who had failed to lock their cars. Never leave holiday presents visible in a car.
The Texas Department of Public Safety says there were 165,096 reported thefts from motor vehicles in the state in 2019. Items stolen were worth a total of $177.3 million, with an average value of $1,074.
Of eight categories of property theft tracked by the Texas Crime Report, theft from motor vehicles is by far the most common crime with the most overall value of goods lost.
Contact a Brownsville Personal Injury Lawyer
At Herrman & Herrman, PLLC, we care about the safety of people in the communities we serve. We have put together the above tips to help people in Brownsville avoid being victims of a car burglary.
If you have been harmed by others’ negligence or recklessness in a car accident, our Brownsville car accident lawyers can help you with a personal injury claim. Contact us at (361) 882-4357 to set up a free and confidential legal consultation. We are here to help.
