Police: Lock Your Vehicles, Would You?

Batavia, Geneva and St. Charles police departments have a message for you: "Lock your dang car doors, would you?"

OK, they're a little nicer than that. Here's what the Geneva Police Department said in a Nixel email message:

"Please lock your car doors and conceal valuables due to recent burglaries from unlocked vehicles in the Tri-Cities."

Apparently, there's been an increase in burglaries to vehicles in the area.

"The majority of these incidents are crimes of opportunity," said Eric Passarelli of the GPD. "It only takes a minute to enter an unlocked car and to remove valuables from inside. Please assist us by securing your vehicles."

He also mentions that it's OK to call 911 if you see a car burglary in progress.

For non-emergency numbers, you can call:

• 630-879-2840 in Batavia
• 630-232-4736 in Geneva
• 630-377-4400 in St. Charles

The second part of that reminder is to conceal valuables you stow in your car. There have been a lot of "smash and grab" car burglaries in recent months—cases in which the burglar spots a purses or valuables in a vehicle, smashes the window and bolts. Those types of vehicle burglaries happen a lot at parks or places where people congregate and leave their stuff in the car, minivan or other vehicle of choice.