Lock Your Cars, Police in Schenectady say Break-Ins are on the Rise

Has Your Car Even Been Broken Into?

There's nothing worse than walking out to your car and seeing that it's been broken into.  Most are left feeling confused, mad, frustrated, and violated. Criminals are opportunistic, and if they want something badly enough, they will get it.  But often, car break-ins can be avoided, and police in the Capital Region hope residents take heed to their warning after a string of recent thievery in Schenectady County.

Police Issue Warning for Schenectady Residents

Officers with the Schenectady Police Department say there's been an increase in thefts from parked cars throughout the city over the last month or so, and they asked that residents be a little more diligent about securing their property.

Over the past month, they have seen increased thefts from parked vehicles throughout the city.

"While in a few incidents," they wrote on their Facebook Page, "a window was broken to take something of value from inside, in the vast majority, a door was left unlocked."

Lock Your Doors!

Their message to Schenectady residents: lock your doors!  The Schenectady Police say these are "often crimes of opportunity, where an individual will try door handles on multiple cars until they locate one that is open."  The SPD outlined ways to prevent this from happening to you.

• We would like to remind residents to double-check their vehicles, ensure they are locked at all times, and remove valuables such as computers, purses, and phones from plain sight.
• While home security cameras such as Ring are great for monitoring your home and the surrounding areas and provide valuable social platforms connecting neighbors, the pictures and information shared don't always make it to the police.
• We ask that you report any suspicious activity to 518-630-0911 or 911 in an emergency.