Vehicle burglaries on the rise near San Luis Obispo

An increase in vehicle burglaries has been reported near San Luis Obispo in neighborhoods surrounding Los Osos Valley Road.

Officers have responded to at least eight burglaries in the last week.

According to San Luis Obispo Police Department, suspects have broken windows to gain entry to the vehicles and then stole any items within arm’s reach. In several cases the doors were unlocked but windows were still broken.

Victims have all reported leaving items of value in plain sight in the vehicle.

SLO police released the following tips to help avoid being victimized:

Never leave your keys inside the vehicle; lock your doors and keep the windows rolled up. Take valuable items out of your car or make sure you keep them out of view. Park in well-lit areas. If your car is broken into, you should call the police immediately. Burglars may still be in the area and evidence may be present that can assist law enforcement in identifying the people responsible. If you see a car burglary happening, call police and take note of as much information as possible, such as: Location of the incident, including an address, cross streets or specific location inside a parking lot. Suspect description, such as sex, race, age, height, weight, hair color and length, color and length of facial hair, colors and style of clothing, identifying marks such as tattoos or piercings, etc. Direction of travel if the burglar flees the area. If the thief flees in a vehicle, give the description of the vehicle and attempt to provide a license plate. — Description of the victim’s vehicle, such as color, make! , model and license plate for the vehicle.

Any with information about the burglaries is asked to contact the San Luis Obispo Police Department at (805) 781-7312 or Crime Stoppers at (805) 549-STOP.