Rash of Auto Thefts Prompts HPD Tips

Hawaiʻi Island police are investigating a rash of auto thefts in East and West Hawaiʻi and are cautioning the public to take precautions to deter would-be thieves. This includes tires and after-market rims.

“One significant factor in preventing your vehicle from being stolen is simply to remove the keys from the ignition and not leave a spare anywhere in the vehicle,” said Captain Gregory Esteban of the Area I Criminal Investigations Section.

He noted that keys left in a vehicle often have house keys on the same key ring, which can lead to potential burglaries along with auto thefts.

Captain Esteban offers these additional steps:

• Lock your vehicle.
• Consider adding wheel-locks
• Never hide a second set of keys in your vehicle.
• Park in attended lots.
• If you use valet parking, leave only the ignition/door key.
• Park in well-lit areas.
• Never leave your vehicle running when unattended, even if you will be gone for only a minute.
• When fueling your vehicle at a gas station, remove the ignition key, conceal any valuables and lock your doors.
• Completely close all windows of parked vehicles.
• Do not leave valuables or paperwork in plain sight.
• Park with your wheels turned toward the curb to make your vehicle more difficult to tow.
• Set your emergency brake when parking your vehicle to make it more difficult to tow.
• Back a rear-wheel-drive vehicle into your driveway to make it more difficult to tow. If you have a garage, park your vehicle in it and lock it.

“Owners may also want to consider arming their vehicles with an alarm system or a steering wheel lock to further act as a theft deterrent,” Captain Esteban said. “Although these are not 100% theft-proof, the installation of these and similar devices may discourage would-be thieves and protect your property.”