Crime & Safety

Beaumont Police Warning: 'If I Were A Thief . . . You Would Now Be A Victim'

Auto burglaries in Beaumont are crimes of opportunity, Police Chief Frank Coe says. If you leave your vehicle unlocked you're asking for it.

Beaumont's population has tripled over the past 12 years but crimes against people have decreased overall, according to Beaumont police statistics.

"One thing that tells us is a lot of good people have moved to Beaumont," Police Chief Frank Coe said at Thursday night's . "We don't have a lot of bad people moving here."

The flip side is that crimes against property have increased, indicating Beaumont appears to be importing the type of criminals who prefer to avoid confrontation, Coe said.

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Coe had a chart with year-to-year statistics that included key figures to demonstrate his point.

Beaumont population 2000: 11,384

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Number of Crimes 2000: 595

Crimes Against People 2000: 28.9 percent

Crimes Against Property 2000: 78.1 percent

Beaumont population 2011: 36,887

Number of Crimes 2011: 1,069

Crimes Against People 2011: 9.9 percent

Crimes Against Property 2011: 90.1 percent

Note: The year 2000, when statistics on the chart begin, stands out for a high percentage of crimes against people. The year 2001, with 11 percent crimes against people and 89 percent crimes against property, is more in line with the rest of the chart.

From 2001 to 2011, there was a gradual decrease in percentage of crimes against people and a gradual increase in percentage of crimes against property.

Whether you care about statistics or not, you care about your stuff, Coe said. He offered a little advice.

"Lately we see vehicle thefts and thefts of property from vehicles where they are targeting only vehicles that are left unlocked," Coe said. "A lot of people move here and think it is completely safe, they can leave their doors unlocked. That is not the case.

"Also, there's a lot of new technology out there that makes a vehicle look more inviting to a burglar or thief," Coe said. "Have you seen the way some of these GPS devices glow at night? That is an invitation."

Beaumont police have become so accustomed to dealing with vehicle burglaries and other property crimes of opportunity they have printed out leaflets they now leave on parked vehicles that appear vulnerable to criminals. They state:

"If I Were A Thief . . . You Would Now Be A Victim

"The following visible items make your vehicle a traget for crime:

"Unlocked Doors

"Open Window(s)

"Open Sunroof

"Keys

"Purse/Wallet/Briefcase/Bag

"Cash/Change

"Cell Phone/Cell Phone Cord

"CDs/iPod/Stereo Faceplate/Laptop/GPS System

"Mail/Documents with ID & Address

"Garage Door Opener

"Other Valuables: Jewelry/Clothes/Shoes"

The back of the leaflet explains in detail why each of the items could tempt criminals.

For more information about crime prevention in Beaumont, call the police department at (951) 769-8500.


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