Dubuque Police Asking Residents Not to Leave Valuables in Their Vehicles.

According to Scott Baxter of the Dubuque Police Department there have been several recent burglaries to motor vehicles in Dubuque.

Scott is asking motorists NOT to leave items of value in plain view inside their vehicles. There have been several recent “smash & grab” burglaries in which the suspect(s) see a purse sitting in plain view on a seat or floorboard and that’s all the incentive they need to break a window.

To date there have been 5 incidents in the Y parking lot (35 N. Booth) and some in the Alpine Tennis parking lot as well. Lieutenant Baxter says he can's say for  certain they’re all related but 20 years in law enforcement tells him it’s likely. It’s evident the M.O. is similar and the common denominator is clear: items of value left in plain view. The other commonality is parking lots associated with fitness locations (i.e. places where people are likely to leave a purse or other valuables in their vehicle while they’re physically active).

Please be sure to secure your valuables.  Always  place your valuables out of site or in the trunk. I've experienced this type of "Smash & Grab" first hand and it's not fun.  You can feel violated and unsettled.  I've also had a car that belonged to a friend of mine broken in to just 4 feet from my driveway.  It's a little scary to say the list.

Ken