Lock up, stop criminals
RESIDENTS are providing thieves with an open invitation to their valuables, as frustrated police admit the message to "lock it or lose it" just isn't sinking in. Gladstone police have spent the past few months appealing for residents to secure their homes and vehicles properly and to keep valuables hidden. Yet, the rising number of opportunistic thefts recorded in the Gladstone region shows the plea is falling on deaf ears. More than 20 recent incidents of theft from vehicles were reported to police. Offences were reported in Gladstone, Tannum Sands, Miriam Vale, Mount Larcom, Agnes Water, Biloela and Theodore. The majority of these offences were the result of people leaving their motor vehicles unlocked or windows down - thefts that could have been avoided. Gladstone Police District crime prevention co-ordinator Senior Constable Gwen Mills said opportunistic thefts like this were continuing to happen. "People are just not hearing us," Snr Const Mills said. "They think it won't happen to them but it does. "People need to be more vigilant and remember to lock their vehicles when leaving them unattended." Police warned there were offenders who specifically targeted unlocked vehicles and took items of value, such as GPS, iPods, mobile phones and cash.
