Salem Police Volunteers to Patrol Downtown Parking Areas

Over 60 percent of theft cases involved cars that had been left unlocked.

Photo by Bonnie King

(SALEM, Ore.) - The Salem Police Department recently launched a new crime prevention effort aimed at reducing the number of vehicle break-ins and other property crimes occurring at downtown parking locations.

"The intent of this program is to increase public awareness about the potential for car break-ins.

"Since the beginning of the year, we have investigated several reports of thefts from cars in all four of the downtown parkades. Over 60 percent of those cases involved cars that had been left unlocked," said Sergeant Jim Welsh of the Crime Prevention Unit.

To help reduce the opportunities for vehicle break-ins to occur, teams of volunteers will be patrolling the various downtown parking locations to create a presence, and take the opportunity to speak with shoppers about the importance of never leaving valuables left in plain sight.

"When it comes to reminding residents of the importance of minimizing their chances of being a property crime victim, we have been using the slogan, 'To keep it safe, keep it with you.' since the start of the year," said Welsh.

"Often when items, such as purses, wallets, or laptops are stolen, the victims must also deal with the theft of their identity, not just the property."

The good news is that vehicle break-ins are a preventable crime, so we encourage people to keep their property safe by not leaving it in the vehicle.

"If you can, take what you need, and leave the rest at home. If you have to use the trunk, do so before you arrive to the parkade, or anywhere else you will be leaving your vehicle for an extended period. You never know who is watching and waiting for any opportunity to commit a crime," said Welsh.

The volunteer patrol program is just one of several efforts done by the department over the past few months to reduce property crime in the community. From neighborhood meetings, regular messaging via social media, added signage in various parking locations, and extra patrol by the Downtown Enforcement Team, the increased awareness on the issue has helped to put a dent in the number of vehicle break-ins in April.

"We hope the increased volunteer presence will help remind residents to keep their property safe by not leaving it in their vehicles," added Welsh.

View the "To Keep it Safe, Keep it With You" video at https://youtu.be/LcuA86LB3Kc. For more information about crime prevention, visit the police Web page at www.cityofsalem.net/police.