Car Prowlers Stealing Car Registration Then Burglarizing Home

A Laurelhurst resident would like to warn the neighborhood about car prowlers, that break into cars in parking lots and steal the car registration papers, thereby getting the owner's address.


With the car parked  away from the place of residence, the car prowlers then go to the address on the registration they have just stolen and burglarize the house.
 

The resident, told us that a friend of hers was burglarized in this way recentl, breaking into her home after stealing the car registration from her vehicle.

 

The policeman, who responded, told her friend that cars parked at Children's Hospital, Swedish and downtown Nordstroms had all been targeted.
 

The police offer these suggestions for protection against this type of burglary are:

• put the car registration paperwork in less obvious places (e.g., next to the car jack, in the trunk, a back seat pocket). If you are stopped and and the police ask for it, it's fine to tell them that the registration is in the special hiding place and you'll go get it or they can get it themselves.
• if leaving the car registration in the car, black out the home address

For questions and more crime prevention tips contact Terry Johnson, Seattle Police North Precinct Crime Prevention Coordinator.