Pine Bluff, Arkansas – The Pine Bluff Police Department is warning residents to take extra steps to protect their vehicles and homes after receiving reports of people moving through neighborhoods during late-night and early-morning hours, checking car doors and entering vehicles that were left unlocked.
Police said officers are actively investigating the incidents and have increased patrols in areas where suspicious activity has been reported. Information collected during the investigations suggests that some of the people involved may be young males, possibly juveniles.
The department stressed that many of these cases are crimes of opportunity. In other words, the people involved may not be targeting one specific vehicle in advance. Instead, they may walk through a neighborhood, pull on several door handles and enter whichever vehicle opens.
To reduce the chance of becoming a victim, police have launched a simple community safety message known as “Lock it. Light it. Report it.”
Residents urged to lock vehicles and remove valuables
The first and most important step is to lock every vehicle whenever it is parked, even when it is sitting in a private driveway or directly outside a home. Police encouraged drivers to check their doors a second time before walking away.
Residents should also make sure their key fobs are stored safely. A button can sometimes be pressed by accident, leaving a vehicle unlocked without the owner realising it. People who drive vehicles with keyless entry may also consider keeping their fob inside a signal-blocking Faraday pouch.
Police warned residents not to leave firearms, purses, wallets, cash, phones, computers or other valuable items inside a vehicle. Even when the doors are locked, valuables left in plain view may attract someone looking for an easy opportunity.
Exterior lighting can also make a major difference. Motion-activated lights and bright driveways make it harder for someone to move around unnoticed. Security cameras, including doorbell cameras and other home surveillance systems, may discourage criminal activity and can give investigators useful footage after an incident.
Garage doors should remain closed when they are not in use. Spare keys should never be hidden under a vehicle or kept inside it, since someone who gains access to the car may then be able to enter the home or drive away.
Police ask parents to monitor children during late hours
The department also directed part of its message toward parents and guardians. Police encouraged adults to know where their children are, especially late at night and during the early morning.
Officials said supervision and early intervention may stop a young person from making a poor choice that could lead to a serious criminal charge. Entering private property, opening another person’s vehicle or searching through belongings is not harmless behaviour.
Depending on what happens during an incident, a person could face charges involving criminal trespass, breaking or entering a vehicle, theft, burglary or other offences.
Police also warned that walking onto private property in the middle of the night creates a dangerous situation for everyone. A homeowner may not understand what the person is trying to do and could believe that a more serious crime is underway. That misunderstanding could cause the situation to become dangerous very quickly.
Similar incidents reported in other Arkansas communities
Pine Bluff police noted that this type of activity is not limited to one city. Communities across Arkansas, including Little Rock, North Little Rock, Bentonville, Fayetteville and Jonesboro, have reported similar incidents in recent years.
The practice is sometimes called “car hopping”, with people moving from vehicle to vehicle and checking for unlocked doors rather than breaking windows or forcing their way inside.
Law enforcement agencies have repeatedly found that a large share of these thefts happen because the vehicle was not locked. That is why Pine Bluff police are focusing heavily on small preventive actions that residents can take every night.
Anyone who sees people pulling on vehicle doors, walking through private yards, entering driveways or acting suspiciously during late hours should not approach them.
Police advised residents to call 911 immediately when the activity is happening at that moment. Suspicious behaviour that is discovered later should be reported to the Pine Bluff Police Department as soon as possible so officers can investigate and determine whether it may be connected to other incidents.
The department said it remains committed to protecting neighbourhoods, but officers need residents to report suspicious activity and take basic safety steps.
By locking vehicles, improving lighting, securing keys, removing valuables and sharing camera footage when available, residents can make it harder for these crimes to continue.
The department closed its advisory by repeating the message it wants every vehicle owner and household to remember each night.
