Holiday thieves out in force
By TIM GULLA Ledger Staff Writer tim@gaffneyledger.com

Whether it's a case of Christmas bringing out the worst in people, or simply that your personal possessions are becoming less personal to others, incident reports at the Gaffney Police Department and the Cherokee County Sheriff's Office are indicating a rash of vehicle break-ins and thefts in recent days.

In most cases, thieves smashed windows to gain access to the cars. While you can't always keep an eye on your car, one expert said there are ways to minimize your potential for being targeted.

"Never, ever leave anything visible inside a car that may attract a thief," said Tom Crosby, a spokesman for AAA Carolinas. "This time of year is a particularly bad one because people buy presents and leave them in the back seat."

Items don't have to be especially valuable or eye-catching to attract unwanted attention.

Loose change or a bag with unseen contents can be enough. In several of the police reports the car owners reported nothing missing.

If you have to leave something in your car, Crosby suggests placing it in your trunk where it can be hidden from prying eyes.

Once you've taken care of your car's interior, Crosby suggests parking in well-lit areas, or as close to bright spots as possible. When shopping at malls or shopping centers, you can also protect yourself better by parking as close to foot traffic as possible.

"Try to find a space where the most people walk," Crosby said, "like the entrance to the mall."

A check with a local window replacement firm showed window replacement starts at about $100 and can balloon up to $300. Ironically, smaller windows like vent windows and the fixed rear windows on a coupe can cost more to replace than door windows.

If it happens to you, Crosby suggests weighing your options carefully before notifying your insurance carrier.

"My recommendation, unless it's $200 or $300 above your deductible, try to pay for (the damage) without using insurance," he said. Insurers might assume more break-ins are likely if one happens to you, which can lead to higher insurance premiums down the road, Crosby said.

The following vehicle break-ins and thefts from vehicles were reported by police since Friday:

A vehicle parked in the Wal-Mart parking lot off West Floyd Baker Boulevard was entered within a 30- minute time span last Thursday night. Someone stole the car's stereo, college books, a shirt and a drivers license from the car.

A vehicle parked on the 500 block of West Frederick Street was broken into sometime between Thursday evening and Friday morning. The side window of a blue Toyota Corolla was broken but the car owner didn't see anything missing. The window damage was estimated at $200.

A vehicle parked in the 500 block of West Montgomery Street was broken into sometime between last Thursday and Friday. The passenger window of the 2001 Ford Focus was broken but nothing appeared to be stolen.

A vehicle parked in the 300 block of Overbrook Drive was broken into between Thursday evening and Friday morning. The thief or thieves broke a window to get inside the 2002 Chevrolet Trailblazer. Taken were a school bag and a carry bag containing a wallet, $80 in cash, a drivers license, credit cards, insurance cards and bank statements. An additional $100 was stolen from an envelope in the center console. The empty envelope was placed into evidence for processing.

A vehicle in the 300 block of East Fairview Avenue was broken into sometime between Friday night and early Saturday afternoon. Someone pried open the door, causing damage to both the door and the lock. The victim was missing a wallet, cash and the thief or thieves also stole the car's speakers. Total theft and damage losses were estimated at $375.

A car parked outside the Cozy One Stop on Cherokee Avenue was entered sometime early Saturday morning, the Cherokee County Sheriff's Office reported. The car owner's wallet, containing about $300, was stolen.

A vehicle on Fort Street was broken into sometime between Dec. 2 and Sunday. The break-in was discovered Sunday while a family member was checking a residence for an out-of-town homeowner. The thief broke a window to gain entry to the vehicle and stole a checkbook from the center console.

A vehicle in a parking lot at 110 Wilkinsville Hwy. was entered Sunday evening while the vehicle owner was in a store. Police said someone took a 20-inch television and an X Box video game console from the back seat within a 20-minute time span from 6:15 p.m. and 6:35 p.m. The theft losses amounted to about $500.

A vehicle parked outside an apartment building in the 600 block of West Floyd Baker Boulevard was broken into Monday morning. The car owner told police a portable DVD player in the car was missing. A broken car window was valued at $150. The portable DVD player was valued at $50.