JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Auto burglaries are down roughly 23 percent in Jacksonville from this time last year, according to a tweet from the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office.
This is part of a long-term initiative the Sheriff’s Office is conducting to help prevent auto burglaries.
Many car break-ins happen because people forget to lock their doors or just don't think they should bother.
For several months, many law enforcement agencies in Northeast Florida have been encouraging residents to secure their belongings through a social media campaign urging them to take valuables, including firearms, out of their vehicles and lock their doors by 9 p.m.
JSO says nearly a dozen cars in the Sutton Lakes subdivision of Sandalwood were broken into sometime between late Sunday night and early Monday morning. Windows were shattered and items were stolen from inside the cars.
Surveillance video shows two people trying to open car doors outside one home, but they couldn't get in.
Despite the recent break-ins, the Sheriff’s Office says the number of auto burglaries is down and officers are encouraging residents to continue taking steps to keep their valuables safe.
They recommend the T-L-C approach -- Take out valuables… Lock your vehicle… and Close your windows.
It is also a good idea to park in a well-lit area where the car is visible to others, don’t leave a firearm in the car and avoid transferring valuables to the trunk where someone might be looking.