I want to pass along some interesting things that I have learned this week.
On the north side, in a nice middle class neighborhood, cars are being stolen via tow trucks.
Yes, that's right. A tow truck pulls up, loads the car and drives away. And no one notices a thing. Really, when was the last time you paid attention when you saw a car getting towed? I usually think that the car died and is being taken to get repaired.
I talked with two residents on the same block that had their cars stolen this way. One was on Friday, in the middle of the night, the other on a Saturday afternoon. Same block, hours apart. A third resident commented how annoyed she was when she was trying to park her car and a tow truck was just idling in the street, blocking her alley entrance. Several people saw the tow truck, but no can can give any details about the truck. They just didn't really pay attention to it.
This morning, I spoke with Police Officers from District 3 and 7 and they said that car theft in Milwaukee is a HUGE problem right now. They also said that this crime, while not a "new" scheme, is a perfect scam. Who would think to question a tow truck? It's one of those things that you see but don't remember. Besides, most people would think that a car being towed IS legitimate.
So what to do?
There is no easy answer. One can't assume that towed vehicles are all being stolen. Yet, here are some things to look for.
If you see a tow truck moving a vehicle - pay attention. Is the owner around?
Is the tow driver working very quickly?
Is there a company name on the tow truck?
Is the car being towed in the middle of the night? Ask yourself, based on what you are seeing if it looks legit.
I have been told (but I don't know if this is fact) that if a car is being repossessed, the tow driver will state that fact.
This crime is currently occurring on the north side of Milwaukee, but it wouldn't take much to drive south.
The only answer that we came up with is to pay attention, know that this is going on in Milwaukee, and be alert.
If you see something that looks suspicious, stay safe, drive by and take pictures.
Another interesting thing that I learned today came from the Community Liaison Officer from District 7. She stated that they have had incidents where thieves are breaking into garages by making holes in the outer walls of the garage. Criminals are finding their "target" garages, peeling up the siding and cutting a hole to either have a small person get through, or just big enough to get an arm in to open the door from the inside. They will rob the resident, then move garbage carts in front of the holes to conceal them.
Tricky criminals, wouldn't you say?
Ways to prevent this:
Light up your yard. Keep your garage well lit at night. Have a secure door with a deadbolt where you need a key to open it from both sides. (You can always hide a spare key inside for your safety.) Make sure the items in your garage are tagged so they can be identified. Chain your property up. Have a block watch. Know your neighbors. Watch out for each other.
The best way to stay on top of these issues is first to know about them and then sharing the info with your neighbors.
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