Madison County (WSYR-TV) -- There have been several reports of vehicle break-ins in the areas of Fire Tower Road in the Madison County towns of Nelson and Georgetown, as well as in the Campbell Road and Billings Hill Road areas in the town of Lebanon, according to the Madison County Sheriff’s Office.
Authorities are also reporting a separate incident at a cell tower site located on Kiley Road in the town of Cazenovia, where they say thieves got away with copper grounding bars and grounding kits.
The Madison County Sheriff’s Office has offered these tips to avoid becoming a victim of car larceny:
- Keep your vehicle visible: if at all possible, park in a well-lit area or in a garage if one is available.
- Avoid parking the vehicle in a concealed spot (such as behind larger vehicles, fences, trees, etc.) – thieves like to work unnoticed.
- Don’t make it easy for thieves: lock your doors, and keep windows and sunroofs closed.
- Use your vehicle alarm if it’s equipped with one.
- Lock your garage door.
- Secure your valuables: keep your stuff out of sight! Valuables should be taken indoors with you. For those with SUV’s, a retractable fitted cover is a good option to conceal belongings if you must leave them unattended.
- Keys: always take your keys with you after locking your vehicle. If you think you have a great hiding place for a spare key, car break-in thieves know where and how to look for them.
- Make sure valuables (such as GPS units, radar detectors, laptops, messenger bags, etc.) aren’t left in the vehicle. Change left in cup holders is an open invitation.
- Trust your gut: if you see suspicious activity, report it to your local law enforcement agency.
