Auburn.Police.Department.Online(CID-Crimes Against Propertyrty)

The Criminal Investigations Division investigates offenses such as:

• Burglary

• Entering Auto
• Theft
• Auto Theft
• Criminal Trespass
• Forgery
• Identity Theft

Forgeries, and identity thefts are increasing at an alarming rate and much of this unit’s time is spent chasing long, often complex paper trails. Sorting through subpoenaed information, comparing fingerprints and analyzing handwriting samples often leads to the arrest of the suspect.

Identity theft can be a nightmare for the victim. Always protect your personal information. You are entitled to a free credit report each year and you should check your report for unauthorized activity. To get your free credit report visit www.annualcreditreport.com.

Identity theft should also be reported by the victim to the Governors Office of Consumer Affairs. This can be done by obtaining a packet from the Auburn Police Department, or online at

Governors Office of Consumer Affairs.

Burglary is a crime that occurs much too frequently in Auburn. To help recover stolen property, the Criminal Investigations Division has partnered itself with surrounding agencies and through access to their pawnshop details, has the ability to check their files on all pawn tickets and compares items stolen to those pawned

15 No-Cost Ways to Protect Your Home and Family!

According to U.S. Department of Justice data, an American home is burglarized every 8 seconds. In the next two decades, three out of four American homes will be burglarized. But YOUR home doesn't have to be a statistic! There are things YOU can do to protect your home and family! By following the 15 small steps outlined below, you will be taking a giant step towards making your home a place which burglars will want to avoid...
1. SECURE ALL DOORS AND WINDOWS WHEN EVER YOU LEAVE YOUR HOME. Failing to lock all doors and windows when leaving home, even for a few minutes, is one of the most common mistakes leading to home robberies. A friendly neighbor can turn into a burglar if all she has to do is walk through an unlocked door or crawl through an open window. Keep your neighbors honest --- keep your doors and windows locked whenever you leave your home!
2. DON'T LEAVE A NOTE ON YOUR DOOR TELLING PEOPLE THAT YOU ARE NOT AT HOME! Anyone who happens by could see it, and your note could become an invitation to a burglar.
3. LEAVE A LIGHT ON IN ONE OR TWO ROOMS WHEN YOU LEAVE YOUR HOUSE AT NIGHT. This will give your home the appearance of being occupied when you are away.
4. NEVER LEAVE YOUR GARAGE DOOR OPENER IN AN UNLOCKED CAR. To do so could give thieves access to your garage. If you have an attached garage, you could also be giving thieves access to your home!
5. WHEN ON VACATION, LET A TRUSTED FRIEND KNOW HOW TO GET IN TOUCH WITH YOU IN CASE OF EMERGENCY. Ask him to pick up your mail (unless you have the post office hold it until your return) and gather up newspapers, hand bills, litter, packages, or anything else that could alert a burglar to the fact that your home is unoccupied.
6. NEVER GIVE OUT PERSONAL INFORMATION TO STRANGERS WHO CALL YOU ON THE TELEPHONE! Burglars sometimes pose as telephone solicitors or conductors of surveys, and if you answer their questions, they can discover the contents of your home. You DON'T have to answer an unknown caller's questions, and you DON'T have to participate in anybody's survey!
7. JOIN A NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH PROJECT. Get to know your neighbors, and report any suspicious characters to your local police department immediately.
8. IF YOUR TELEPHONE NUMBER IS LISTED, DON'T LIST YOUR ADDRESS. Ask your local telephone company to delete your address from the listing. Better yet, get an unlisted number.
9. IF YOU ARE A WOMAN LIVING ALONE AND YOU HAVE A LISTED TELEPHONE NUMBER, have the number listed under your initials or under a male relative's name. Do not use your first name in the listing, and NEVER include your address in the listing.
10. KEEP VALUABLES OUT OF SIGHT WHEN COMPANY ARRIVES, AND DON'T DISCUSS THE CONTENTS OF YOUR HOME WITH ANYONE OUTSIDE OF YOUR FAMILY. The temptation to show off our belongings or to brag about them has affected most of us at one time or another, but what you stand to lose by bragging is far greater than any momentary satisfaction you might gain.
11. NEVER OPEN YOUR DOOR TO A STRANGER. Instruct your children to do the same. Keep your door closed and locked unless you know who is on the other side of it.
12. KEEP PERSONAL AREAS IN YOUR HOME OFF LIMITS TO VISITORS. Some people, when they make new friends, show their new friends all around their homes --- not necessarily to show off, but more often as a gesture of welcome. Not only is it unnecessary to extend welcome in this manner, it is extremely unwise. For example, your new friends don't need to see your bedroom unless you intend to entertain them in it!
13. NEVER GIVE THE KEYS TO YOUR HOME TO A STRANGER. If you must leave a key with a car wash or parking attendant, leave the key to the car's ignition only. Take all other keys with you. (If you have a valet key, use it!)
14. NEVER HAVE YOUR NAME AND/OR ADDRESS IMPRINTED ON A KEY TAG. People who do this assume that if they lose their keys, the finder will be honest enough to return them. This is a dangerous assumption!
15. ALWAYS KEEP YOUR SHADES AND DRAPES DRAWN AT NIGHT. People who turn on their lights at night without drawing their shades or closing their blinds could also be turning on a burglar. A lighted house with open drapes is like a fishbowl at night, exposing its contents to every passerby.

Most cars are taken by amateurs who can be stopped fairly easily. You can increase your protection against this type of crime by taking the following sensible precautions:

Lock up

An unlocked car is an open invitation to a thief. Lock up when you leave your car, and take the keys with you.
Lock the trunk or tailgate.
Close all windows -- professional thieves have tools that unlock cars through the smallest openings.
Be sure vent or wind-wing windows are shut tight.
When you park the car, remove cellular phones, cassette players and other valuable possessions. Do not leave gift-wrapped packages or cameras lying on the seat. Lock all valuables in your trunk or take them with you.
Lock your car even if you are making a quick stop at the gas station, convenience store, or mini-mall.

Park carefully

Don't leave an auto in unattended public parking lots for an extended period. A car is five times more likely to be stolen from an unattended lot than from the street or attended lot.
If possible, park your car in a lot where you don't have to leave your keys.
Never attach a tag with your name and address to your key ring. If the keys are lost or stolen, the tag will lead the thief directly to your car and your home. If you have to leave your keys with a parking attendant, leave only the ignition key.
At night, park in well-lit areas with lots of people around.
Turn wheels sharply toward the curb when parking. This makes it extra difficult for thieves to tow your car.

Operation ID

With an electric engraver, etch your driver's license number (preceded by the letters "GA") on cassette players and other valuable items.
Record your vehicle identification number (located on a small metal plate on the dashboard of newer cars) and store it in a safe place.
Keep the vehicle registration in your wallet or purse, not in your car.
For more information about Operation ID, check out our Operation ID page.

Use anti-theft devices

When buying a car, check the manufacturer's list of anti-theft options, such as interior hood and trunk releases, locking steering columns and others. Consider the purchase and installation of security devices, such as

-Interior hood lock release

-Second ignition switch or "kill switch" to prevent electrical current from reaching the coil distributor

-Fuel switch to prevent fuel from reaching the carburetor

-Locking gas cap

-Locking devices for batteries, wheels, decks, etc.

-Alarm device to activate a siren, horn or lights -- or all three -- to frighten the thief away

-Device that attaches to the steering wheel or brake pedal

No Laughing Matter

Carjacking is Robbery

Carjacking is the violent form of motor vehicle theft. It is a serious threat to our personal safety because the thief uses force and fear to rob our car from us. Sometimes the car owner or other occupants are kidnapped during a carjacking, and if lucky will be dropped off nearby unharmed. The worst case scenario occurs when you are transported to a secondary crime scene, which is usually more dangerous than the original confrontation. Those not so lucky victims have suffered other crimes like rape, aggravated assault, and even homicide. Since the mid-1980s, carjacking has captured the attention of the media with reports of these sudden and violent attacks. Carjackers have unknowingly driven off with infants still in the backseat of the car, leaving behind a screaming and emotionally distressed parent. Other drivers have been violently pulled out of their seats and left lying on the road, terrified by what just occurred. The crime of carjacking can be traumatic to our everyday lives because it creates fear in the common act of driving a car. Victims of carjacking have reported being unable to drive a car again while others required months of therapy. Others have become so hypersensitive, that embarrassing and dangerous situations have arisen in response to their fear when someone unwittingly approached their car on foot.

How Carjacking Got Started

Carjacking has always been around, especially in large metropolitan cities, we just rarely read about it. The crime of carjacking "took off" in the 1980s after the media published stories of bizarre situations and the violence associated with the crime. The media coined the phrase "carjacking" and the crime of auto theft took on a new identity. After a rush of publicity, other criminals "copied" the crime of carjacking. These copycat criminals must have said, "Hey, I can steal any vehicle I want without damaging it, I get the car keys, and I can rob the owner too. What a concept!" Another reason carjacking got started is because of the sophistication and prevalence of new anti-theft devices and alarm systems. New car alarms and steering wheel locking systems made it tougher on the auto thief. Chip-integrated ignition switches, engine cutoff devices, and stolen vehicle locators are now more common in cars. Unfortunately for us, poorly motivated and unskilled car thieves have adapted by becoming more violent to get the cars they need and don't think twice about using force against us. Sometimes criminals will carjack a vehicle for use in another crime like armed robbery or for a drive-by shooting. These carjackers prefer to have a set of car keys and not have a visibly smashed window or damaged ignition switch that can be easily spotted by the police. This class of car thief is the most dangerous because they are usually heavily armed and are not concerned with your welfare.

How Often Does Carjacking Occur

National carjacking statistics are not available. However, the National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS)* made a telephone assessment of 221,000 households from 1992-1996 to gain an understanding of the extent of the carjacking problem. The biggest problem of tracking carjacking incidents is current police agency reporting practices. Most criminal codes have not adopted this new crime type nor do they track it statistically. Most police jurisdictions charge the crime of carjacking as a robbery since force or fear was used to steal the vehicle directly for the owner. Many police agencies record multiple charges like aggravated robbery, auto theft, assault, battery to one event but usually only the first charge (robbery) gets indexed and statistically tracked. Some jurisdictions charge the crime of carjacking as only an auto theft since a vehicle was stolen. Since the crime of carjacking is not indexed in the FBI's Uniform Crime Reports, it is unlikely that we will soon see a national statistic on frequency that is generated from police reports. What we have to work with is the NCVS telephone survey as the source of our data. From the study of 1992-1996, the NCVS learned that each year 49,000 carjacking and attempts occur in the United States. About half of the reported carjacking were failed attempts. Of the completed carjacking, 92% had weapons where only 75% were armed during the failed attempts. Unfortunately, this statistic tells us that carjackers must be armed to be taken seriously by victims. A handgun was the weapon of choice followed by a knife. Males were responsible for 97% of the carjacking and attempts and were usually carried out by either one or two perpetrators.

Where Does Carjacking Occur

Carjacking can occur anywhere, but is largely a big city problem like traditional auto theft. Carjacking occurs most often in a busy commercial area where cars are parked and when the owner is entering or exiting the parked vehicle. Most carjacking or attempts (65%) occur within five miles of the victim's home. The carjacker wants the keys readily available and the car door unlocked for a quick getaway. Carjackers tend to rob lone victims more often (92%), for obvious reasons. According to the NCVS, men were victimized more often than women, blacks more than whites; Hispanics, more than non-Hispanics; and divorced, separated, or never married more than married or widowed. This trend is not surprising given the fact that younger single males tend to take more chances and go to higher risk locations than do married persons. It is unclear whether household income or the value of the vehicle is a criterion in carjacking as the statistics are spread throughout the income levels. However the $35,000 to $50,000 income range had a slightly higher carjack victim frequency. Surprisingly, the NCVS study indicates that 64% of the daytime carjacking were actually completed, while less than half of those at night were completed. This may be reflective of who is being victimized and who is out at night. About 62% of all carjacking victims took some form of action to defend themselves or their property. Victims were injured about 20% of the time in completed carjacking and about 16% during attempts. Although the statistics aren't clear, each year about 27 homicides are reported related to auto theft. Also interesting is that 100% of the completed carjack victims called the police, whereas only 57% called to report an attempt carjacking. This variable in reporting is probably related to the desire to get their property back and for insurance purposes. Popular carjacking locations are parking lots, shopping centers, gas stations, car washes, convenience stores, ATMs, hotels, valet parking, fast-food drive-thru, and outside of retail stores. Close proximity to a freeway onramp is a desirable escape factor from the carjackers prospective. A risky, but popular location for the carjacker is a roadway intersection with a stoplight. A carjacker will jump out of another vehicle, pull open your unlocked drivers’ door, and force you to get out. The type of carjacking allows for a quick escape but increases their risk of being followed by other drivers armed with cell phones. There have been incidents where well-meaning citizens got into a high-speed chase following carjackers and ended up being victims themselves.

The "Bump" and Carjack

Another copycat scheme used by carjackers is to bump your car from behind to get you to pull over and stop. We have all been trained to always stop following an auto accident to exchange license and insurance information. What a perfect scenario for a carjacker! The carjacker, and his accomplice, will follow the intended victim to a suitable location with good escape routes and few witnesses. The carjacker will crash into the back of your vehicle at low speed and "bump" you with enough force to make you believe a traffic accident had just occurred. Beware of the Good Samaritan. Typically, the drivers of both vehicles pull over, stop, and get out discussing the damage. At this point the carjacker robs you of your vehicle, its’ contents, and drives away. The carjacker's car gets driven away by the accomplice. Hopefully you won't be injured during the exchange.

What Should You Do?

Carjacking of parked vehicles depends on the car owner being inattentive to their surroundings. Carjackers, like street robbers, prefer the element of surprise. Most victims say they never saw the carjacker until they appeared at their car door. To reduce your risk of being carjacked, I have listed some common sense steps below:

Always park in well-lighted areas, if you plan to arrive/leave after dark
Don't park in isolated or visually obstructed areas near walls or heavy foliage
Use valet parking or an attended garage, if you're a woman driving alone
As you walk to your car be alert to suspicious persons sitting in cars
Ask for a security escort if you are alone at a shopping center
Watch out for young males loitering in the area (handing out flyers, etc)
If someone tries to approach, change direction or run to a busy store
Follow your instincts if they tell you to walk/run away to a busy place
As you approach your vehicle, look under, around, and inside your car
If safe, open the door, enter quickly, and lock the doors
Don't be a target by turning your back while loading packages into the car
Make it your habit to always start your car and drive away immediately
Teach and practice with your children to enter and exit the car quickly
In the city, always drive with your car doors locked and windows rolled up
When stopped in traffic, leave room ahead to maneuver and escape, if necessary
If you are bumped in traffic, by young males, be suspicious of the accident
Beware of the Good Samaritan who offers to repair your car or a flat tire. It's okay to get help, just be alert
Wave to follow, and drive to a gas station or busy place before getting out
If you are ever confronted by an armed carjacker don’t resist
Give up your keys or money if demanded without resistance
Don’t argue, fight or chase the robber. You can be seriously injured
Never agree to be kidnapped. Drop the cars keys and run and scream for help
If you are forced to drive, consider crashing your car near a busy intersection to attract attention so bystanders can come to your aid and call the police
Call the police immediately to report the crime and provide detailed information