The Star - News, views and advertising of the Grand Coulee Dam Area

Car thefts and prowls have been on the increase in the area for the past few months, according to law enforcement officials.

Grand Coulee police Chief John Tufts said last week that there are a number of factors in the rise of crime involving vehicles.

Probably the number-one factor is that these kind of crimes can usually be traced to drug-related crime, Tufts stated.

There are a number of things that he suggested to keep from becoming a victim of a vehicle-related crime:

• Don’t leave your keys in the ignition, it’s an open invitation for car theft.

• Don’t leave vehicle windows open and fail to lock the doors, another open invitation for problems.

• Don’t leave valuables in plain sight.

• Park your vehicles, if you can, where your porch light illuminates the area. Thieves don’t like the light.

• If someone is walking in the neighborhood and looking into cars, call 911 and report it.

In summary, Tufts noted, roll the windows up, store keys in your homes/businesses or on your person, lock your doors, and store all valuables where they cannot be seen.

Tufts said his department doesn’t keep statistics on vehicle thefts and prowls, but they are definitely on the increase.