By BJ Austin, KERA News
Dallas, TX – Police in Dallas are warning that "summer" is prime-time for car burglars because more people are outdoors.
In Dallas, car burglary is the #1 offense, accounting for 26% of all crime.
To illustrate just how fast it can happen, police have posted a video on youtube. In less than one minute, the suspect arrives, breaks into the car, steals a laptop, and leaves the scene. It was a police "bait" car, and the suspect was arrested.
Today in Arlington, police launched a campaign to cut down on summertime car burglaries. More than six thousand were reported to Arlington Police in 2009.
Officers in both departments say the best prevention is to take anything of value with you, or hide it from sight.