BY hALEY CHRISTOPHER | APRIL 22, 2015
The season for garage thefts is upon us
SCOTTSDALE – Forgetfulness could be costly. Forgetting to close the garage door is becoming a reccurring issue for homes in the Valley. Leaving garage doors open is an invitation for thieves.
“We see more and more theft from garages each year,” Scottsdale Public Information Officer Kevin Watts said.
It may not seem like a significant problem but it is occurring more and more as people are forgetting to close their doors when they come home or when they leave, according to Watts.
This could lead to theft from the garage and possibly inside the home. If there is anything of value in the garage that could be seen from a window or otherwise if the garage door is left open, it could potentially become a target for burglars, Watts said.
Leaving valuables in a car while unattended has the same effect as the open garage door. If people can see the valuables, there is a way to get them. Whether it is breaking the window or manually unlocking it, burglars can get to it, according to Scottsdale Police.
“We hear about how people get their garage broken into all the time even without the person leaving it open,” said Scott, an A1 Garage Door Service employee who asked that his last name not be used. “There is no way to automatically close a door without a clicker, but we do suggest getting a safety lock that goes inside of the garage to keep people out.”
He said he has heard many stories of people using clothes hangers to break into garages through the spaces between each panel in the door.
Keeping garage door openers in cars is a common mistake Scottsdale residents make. It is the same as leaving house keys out in the open. It can give people full access to the garage and full access to the entire home, according to Watts.
As the weather gets warmer people tend to leave their windows, screen doors and other home entrances open and unlocked. This is the time of the year when burglars strike the hardest.
“Spring is when we see the rates in theft go up,” Watts said. “People need to be more careful about locking their doors and shutting their garages. I don’t think people realize how common theft from garages is.”
