Protect yourself from car break-ins.

By Accessmilton.com

Always lock car doors, keep valuables out of sight.

MILTON, GA., June 9, 2011 - The City of Milton Police Department responded to a call June 8 in the Providence Oaks subdivision in which five unlocked cars were broken into. As such, Milton police Capt. Shawn McCarty warns residents that summer time means an uptick in the number of car break-ins.

These crimes of opportunity, often perpetrated by criminals looking for easy-to-grab items, can be foiled by simply locking your car doors and keeping valuables out of sight, said McCarty.

"Always lock your car doors, even in your own driveway," he said. "These incidents occur because suspects simply go from house to house trying to open car doors. Whatever they can find inside they take."The crime is common in North Fulton, said McCarty, and preventable.

"I can't stress this enough: Take your laptop, GPS, MP3 players and other devices inside the home with you. If you are out running errands, lock them in the trunk so no one can see them," he said. "Those simple, preventative steps go a long way toward keeping these expensive items from being stolen."McCarty also cautions residents to keep an eye out for anything out of the ordinary.

"If you see someone you don't know at a neighbor's house snooping around driveways, pay attention," he said. "If it seems too suspicious, give us a call."The Milton Police Department is always available by dialing 911 for emergency situations. For non-emergency situations, call 678-297-6300 and choose Option 1. The department's administrative number is 678-242-2570.