Cop's Corner Published Jan. 1, 2010 By 31st Security Forces Squadron AVIANO AIR BASE, Italy -- On Dec. 14, an active-duty service member telephoned the base emergency communications center and stated an unknown person broke into their vehicle while parked outside their residence. The service member stated the passenger side window of the vehicle was broken and a Garmin Nuvi 275T navigation system was stolen from the glove box. The vehicle was secured at 11 p.m. and the damage was discovered at 10 a.m. the following morning. The glove box and center console are considered some of the "safer" places to keep valuable items out of public sight when stored in your vehicles. However, on the contrary, these locations are favored among criminal masterminds and are frequently searched first. Therefore, it is suggested to keep your GPS in your vehicle only when you intend to use it. When you are utilizing the GPS and must leave the vehicle, develop the habit of taking the GPS with you. Most navigation systems are small enough to fit in a pocket or purse. Additionally, do not leave the support cradle in the window attracting attention to your vehicle. With the increased frequency of these items being reported stolen, owners of a GPS are encouraged to mark or engrave the GPS with a driver's license number as this can act as a deterrent to thieves. Also, record the make, model and serial number of the GPS for your own records. On Dec. 15, an active-duty service member entered the police services desk and reported their vehicle had been damaged. The service member stated the the 2005 Pontiac G6 was parked and secured in the Area 1 medical clinic parking lot at 7:20 a.m. The service member discovered a deep scratch horizontally extending along the passenger side front and rear doors to the rear bumper at 4 p.m. the same day upon returning to the vehicle. Unfortunately, all vehicles are fair game to unprincipled individuals who inflict damage to private property and fail to report it. However, in order to better protect your vehicle, there is no need to become the person who parks their sports car diagonally across two parking spaces. When parking your vehicle, simply try to park in spaces a little further out in parking lots where vehicle traffic tends to be less crowded. Look for spots where there are no vehicles parked on either side of you. This will prevent the majority of dents and scratches that are acquired when car doors are flung open. Also, be aware of the vehicles around where you park. Nicer vehicles tend to be an indicator of greater care or concern exercised by the owner/operator. Lastly, never park next to loose shopping carts that are commonly littered throughout the base exchange and commisary parking lots. With just a little force, noticeable damage can occur. Crime prevention tip of the week: Who doesn't enjoy ripping the wrapping paper off boxes of all shapes and sizes to reveal various gifts on one's Christmas wish list? Anyone? The fact is that most of us love ripping the paper off the boxes almost as much as we love tearing into the actual box to get its contents. However, if we are not careful, our enjoyment can more quickly be turned to disappointment. Be aware that most of these boxes contain pictures or descriptions of their product. Commonly, larger boxes are discarded on the curb for trash pickup or set aside to be disposed of at a later convenience. By discarding the boxes in this manner, they serve as an advertisement to the newly acquired additions within your home. This creates the potential to attract unwanted criminal attention and possibly marks your house as a future target for burglars. To avoid this, do not discard boxes until the morning of trash pick up. Additionally, do not display the pictures in such a way that they can be easily seen. Cover these boxes with a large trash bag to ensure the prior contents of the box are not publicized to individuals within the neighborhood or to the occasional passerby.