It seems people all over Rancho Bernardo – day and night – are leaving valuables in their cars in plain sight. Then they are surprised and shocked when they are stolen. It is understandable to a degree because RB has such a low crime rate.

But what they are forgetting is that the bad guys come right off the freeway to scout around to see what is easily picked up. Then they re-sell the articles and buy drugs or simply spend your cash and steal your identity while the charge cards still work. For the month of May 2003, the following "vehicle" crimes were committed in residential areas only:

Westwood: May 19, suspect broke front window and took CDs, backpack and shoes; May 20, suspect broke driver’s window and took stereo, CDs and clothing; May 14, suspect threw a bottle through rear window; May 19, suspect broke the driver’s side car window; May 20, 1997 GMC Sierra was stolen; May 9, suspect took victim’s wallet with cash and driver’s license; May 19, suspect maliciously smashed the driver’s side window, unknown taken; May 9, suspect sprayed paint on the hood, mirror and driver’s side of the vehicle; May 3, suspect pried window of car and took amplifier, CD changer and navigation system; May 5, suspect shoved unknown tool through the top of driver’s window and stole radio; May 2, suspect opened driver’s door and stole stereo.

Swim & Tennis: May 10, suspect broke vehicle window and took garbage bag; May 20, suspect entered vehicle by breaking window and took unknown items; May 6, suspect broke rear window and took two cameras; May 29, victim’s 2003 Chevrolet Yukon was stolen.

Bernardo Heights: May 3, Victim’s 1999 Harley Davidson was stolen; May 15, suspect broke window and took purse, ID cards and cash; May 24, suspect stole a camera, golf clubs and CDs from locked vehicle; May 5, suspect broke window and stole coins from the console; May 5, suspect broke side rear window and took loose change and two rolls of coins; May 2, suspect stole laptop from victim’s car.

High Country West, Camino Bernardo: April 29, suspect pulled out driver’s side window and took boots, baby clothes and shoes; April 29, suspect pulled driver’s window down, disconnected battery and took stereo; April 29, suspect opened the car’s hood, disconnected battery cables, took stereo, CDs and remote control; April 30, suspect pried front window of victim’s car, took stereo and CDs; May 21, suspect entered victim’s car (possibly using Slim Jim) and took CD player; May 25, suspect took computer from unlocked car; May 26, victim’s 2 vehicles were ransacked, suspect took cell phone, keys, knife and coins; April 30, suspect pried driver’s window from seal and took stereo; April 29, suspect pulled down driver’s side window and took stereo and CDs; April 29, suspect pried window and took stereo/CD, sunglasses and cell phone charger; May 25, suspect vandalized victim’s vehicle by using baseball bats to smash windows and body of car; April 29, suspect broke window and took purse, cell phone, credit cards and checkbook; April 29, suspect pulled driver’s side window out of track, disconnected alarm by opening hood and cutting battery cables – took stereo and mag light; April 29, suspect entered vehicle by unknown means and took stereo; May 23, victim secured vehicle, but later found it unlocked and ransacked; May 15, suspect entered vehicle and took checkbook, briefcase, sunglasses and cell phones.

The above are all crimes which took place in residential areas. We can examine the vehicle crimes in May that took place in the commercial areas next week. And discuss how to prevent most of them from happening in the first place.