Full Notification

MEDIA RELEASE / COMMUNITY ALERT
CITY of SAN MATEO POLICE DEPARTMENT
200 Franklin Parkway, San Mateo, CA 94403
www.cityofsanmateo.org


Crime Trend Alert – Targeting of Rental Cars for Theft of Valuables

Imagine being out of town on business or vacation, and finding yourself suddenly missing your portable electronics, or worse yet valuable documents and personal information critical to your livelihood or safe return home...

SMPD has noticed a recent crime trend in which suspects are targeting rental cars and stealing valuables via window-smash and accessing the trunk. Several of these incidents have occurred in parking lots and garages, where groups or individuals from out of town may park for a meal or to shop.

SMPD is well aware of this trend. Our uniformed officers, detectives, and the officers in our Crime Reduction Unit are using multiple strategies like high profile patrols, undercover and decoy operations, and surveillance to identify and arrest these bandits. We continue to steadily make arrests, but we are finding a large number of groups locally and statewide are continually traveling to areas like San Mateo and other Peninsula Cities with downtown areas and shopping centers with plenty of restaurants, attractions and ample parking in order to commit these crimes.

SAFETY TIPS

SMPD offers the following safety tips for this very victim profile. We encourage you to share this information with business colleagues and family/friends who are visiting and may be renting cars for their trip. We also encourage you to use these safety tips yourselves when traveling.

• Continue to follow the two main rules protecting you against becoming a victim –
o Lock and secure your vehicles ANY time you leave them.
o NEVER leave valuables in plain view in your vehicle.
• Criminals are specifically identifying and targeting rental cars, knowing that travelers often keep valuables stowed in the trunk of their rental car.
o Consider keeping your valuables with you at all times instead of locking them in the trunk, or keep your unneeded valuables secured in your hotel safe or another secure location while out for the day in your rental vehicle.
• Police Departments like SMPD rely on good data to help us identify crime hotspots.
o Report all crime to the police department, even if you are referred to online reporting.


SMPD COUNTS ON YOU AS OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS TO STOP AND SOLVE CRIME
For information related to any ongoing SMPD investigation, call the SMPD Detective Bureau at 650-522-7650, or contact us anonymously by voicemail 650-522-7676 or text message 650-262-3473.
We count on our community to be SMPD’s “extra eyes and ears.” Report any suspicious activity to SMPD right away via 911, or 650-522-7700.


Follow us on Twitter! www.twitter.com/sanmateopd
“Like” us on Facebook! www.facebook.com/cityofsanmateopolice