SAN BENITO — Coming out of a store to find your car window smashed and your purse or wallet stolen is devastating.
It’s usually the time panic and despair sinks in.
So what’s next?
When your purse or wallet has been stolen, it’s time to act fast.
A call to the police and creditors will stop the thieves from using any accounts and it can help catch crooks fast, sometimes.
“I highly recommend never leaving your items in the car,” San Benito Police Chief Michael Galvan said. “If you’re going to leave your things in the car always try to hide it and don’t make yourself an easy target.”
Recently a family was at an establishment in San Benito and a window of their car was broken. The only item that was stolen was a women’s purse with money, credit cards and personal identifications inside of it.
Galvan said even though the holidays are over it’s still not safe to leave belongings in the car because thieves are lurking.
He said that when families are going to be spending a large amount of time at places like the mall or movie theater, that is the time to take a second look at where you’re parking.
“Bad guys are watching you and they know your going to be in there three to four hours,” Galvan said. “Take a good look at your surroundings and report anything that looks suspicious.”
Galvan said the one thing bad guys have is time and they are looking for an advantage to make a quick buck off their next victim.
“Always try to hide your purse or wallet when leaving it in the car,” Galvan said. “And don’t make yourself an easy target.”
