GREENSBORO, N.C. — Greensboro police are issuing a warning after a surge of car break-ins and thefts.
The Greensboro Police Department said it's received 143 vehicle larceny reports in just 31 days. News 2 spoke with Community Officer Phillip Watson about the break-ins.
"One thing we see is it's not one particular area or neighborhood. The biggest thing is in areas where people leave their vehicles unlocked and leave items in plain view. So, when people walk by the cars they see something they want. They see valuables and they pull on the door handle. If it's open, they'll grab it and leave," Watson said.
He said making sure you lock your car door is important. it's also critical to make sure valuable items aren't visible. Watson said if you do get items stolen from your car you need to report the incident immediately.
"Reporting that to the police department so we are aware of it is something that is helpful because we track all of those things. That's just one more piece of information we have when we combat these incidents," Watson said.
Greensboro police said if you need to report items stolen from your car it's best to call them at (336) 373-2222. If it's an emergency call 911.