April 8, 2022
Jo Daviess County State’s Attorney, Chris Allendorf, would like to remind the public to keep their property and belongings secure. Allendorf stated, “We are seeing nationwide, but also within Jo Daviess County, a rise in property-related crimes. There are numerous causes of this; however, the most common is drug use.” Allendorf continued, “The vast majority of these property crimes are committed by individuals to support a drug addiction. As told to us by many of these criminals, they are looking for easy targets that take the least amount of effort or have the least risk of detection.” Allendorf laid out several easy steps citizens can take to help safeguard against these crimes of opportunity. They include:

• Locking vehicle doors and ensuring windows are up completely. The most common means of entry in a vehicle burglary is through unlocked doors or windows that are not shut. Do not keep anything of potential value within plain-view in the vehicle.
• Securing outbuildings, sheds, etc. Like vehicle burglaries, thieves are looking for buildings with little to no security from which to steal. While completely unlocked buildings are the most commonly burglarized, adding cut-resistant locks will further deter criminals. Cut- resistant locks are only slightly more expensive than an average lock and they may create the kind of delay thieves are trying to avoid.
• Write down and retain serial numbers. Many thefts are reported and owners do not have a serial number for the item(s). This applies especially to power tools, lawn equipment, and electronics. If an item of value has a serial number, write it down along with a description of the make and model, and keep it somewhere secure. This will aid in the investigation of thefts and allow officers to track stolen property through databases. If an item of value does not have a serial number, take photographs to help investigators identify them.

• If you are out of the area for any length of time, do not broadcast it on social media. Criminals are also on social media and they share information about targets. Letting them know you will not be home or able to check on your property creates opportunity. In investigating all crimes, time is of the essence. The sooner law enforcement knows you were the victim of a crime, the better we are able to investigate.
• Report suspicious activity. Residents are encouraged to make reports of suspicious individuals and vehicles in your area as soon as possible. Please use non-emergency phone numbers for these reports unless you believe a crime is in progress.
  Allendorf concluded, “Law enforcement officials understand that residents feel frustrated by these crimes, as are we. Unfortunately, times have changed and citizens need to be vigilant, even in our small community. Again, the vast majority of these crimes are crimes of opportunity. These recommendations are the lowest-cost and easiest steps that we all can take to make our property less opportune to criminals. The more difficult we make it for them, the less of a chance we become victims.”