The Thurston County Sheriff’s Office sent out this crime alert and crime prevention tips August 30, 2010.

Recent Burglaries and Vehicle Prowls

This past week, Thurston County Sheriff’s deputies have responded to several Vehicle Prowls and Residential Burglaries within close proximity to each other.
Northeast Thurston County:
A mini-storage unit in the 3000 block of Marvin Rd. NE had a reported twenty-vehicle prowls; only two have been reported by victims at this time.
A Residential Burglary in the 3000 block of Marvin Rd. NE and at the 8400 block of Queets Dr. NE.

Southeast Thurston County:
A Residential Burglary in the 300 block of Peregrine Dr. SE and in the approximate 400 block of Freedom Ct. SE.

Crime Prevention Tips for the Home:
Leave blinds/curtains open
Make your residence appear as if someone is home: leave a light or television on. (You can also use timers)
Make sure your residence is secured.
Inform a neighbor if you are going to be away for the night or longer.
If you have a monitored alarm system, make sure that the alarm company knows how to contact you. If your alarm is not monitored and is audible outside make sure your neighbors know how to contact you.
Make sure your vehicle is secure and all doors and windows are closed.

Crime Prevention Tips for Vehicles:
Remember to ensure that all valuables are hidden and not easily visible.
Do not leave purses, wallets, electronic devices, and valuable information in your vehicle.
Keep a record of all serial and model numbers of electronic devices left in the vehicle.
Park your vehicle in a well lit area.
Often times, Sheriff’s deputies locate items that they suspect may be stolen. They are however not able to confirm this because the victims had not recorded serial/model numbers. Please keep records of all important items by documenting serial/model numbers. If the items do not have serial/model numbers, document characteristics and photograph.