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JBSA News
NEWS | Jan. 10, 2019

Send thieves a clear message by securing your property

By Lt. Steven Dews Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston Crime Prevention

Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston has seen a dramatic increase in thefts of unsecured personal property across the installation.

In some cases, the victim’s property was left unattended and in plain view inside vehicles, outside their homes, at the gym or even in their workplaces. In other cases, the victim’s vehicle was left unlocked or the windows rolled down in the driveway of their home, making it even easier for the thief to steal their property.

Whether the victims realized it at the time or not, they were communicating an unintentional message to would be thieves, “Here is my property, come steal it!” That message was easily recognized by thieves in each of these cases, who wasted no time springing into action.

In each case, the loss of the victim’s valuable items could have easily been prevented. The victims can take simple steps to secure their personal property and avoid loss.

Such steps include removing all property from parked vehicles, securing property inside of the garage or home, properly securing valuables in the provided gym lockers and keeping personal property secured and out of plain sight in the workplace.

Additionally, bikes, scooters, electronics such as, game consoles and smartphones should be marked and serial numbers recorded for future reference in the event of a theft.

Finally, Security Forces highly recommends homes and garages be secured and ensure all family members practice this as well. This means all windows, doors and garage doors should be closed and locked, unless the homeowner is present and can observe the area.

A partnership between the Security Forces and the community is essential to prevent crimes before they occur and solve crimes when they do.

Everyone is a sensor and will help in this effort by report thefts or suspicious activity by calling at JBSA-Fort Sam Houston, 210-221-2222 or 210-221-2583(CLUE); at JBSA-Lackland, 210-671-3030; or at JBSA-Randolph, 210-652-5700.

Security Forces are always ready to respond when called, but you are the first line of defense in securing your personal property from theft. With your action, we can send would be thieves a clear, intentional message, “There is nothing here for you to steal!”