The NOPD Eighth District is seeking assistance from the public in locating a Red 2017 Ford Mustang that was reported stolen from the Astor Crowne Hotel.
At about 9 a.m. on Sunday, September 17, the victim reportedly turned his vehicle over to the valet attendants in the 700 block of Canal Street. On Tuesday, September 19, the victim returned to the location to retrieve the vehicle and he was advised the vehicle was missing from the hotel’s parking garage. The vehicle has a Florida License plate #HKUU43.
Anyone with information on the location of this vehicle is asked to contact any Eighth District detective at 504-658-6080. Citizens with information that can help solve crimes are asked to call Crimestoppers at 504-822-1111 or toll-free at 1-877-903-STOP.
Vehicle burglaries and thefts are largely avoidable. Here are some tips on how to avoid car break-ins and thefts.
1. Lock the doors
2. Close windows and sunroofs
3. Don’t leave valuables such as laptops, cell phones, wallets, purses or GPS devices in plain view
4. Put away the garage door opener and any items with personal information
5. Move valuables to the trunk before reaching your destination
6. Don’t leave any keys in the vehicle, including a valet key or a spare key for another vehicle that parks near yours in your garage, driveway, etc.
7. Park in a well-lighted place whenever possible
8. Use the emergency brake when parking to make it more difficult for a thief to tow your vehicle away.
Key fobs present a serious weakness in your car's security. An amplifier can detects key fob signals from up to 300 feet away and transmit them to your car so while your keys could be in your house, criminals could still unlock it. To prevent hackers from stealing your key fob signal you can wrap them in foil, place them in a foil-lined box or radio frequency signal blocking bag. You can also put them in your microwave oven – just don’t turn it on.
Louisiana law states that Individuals convicted of carjacking shall be imprisoned at hard labor for not less than two years and for not more than 20 years, without benefit of parole, probation, or suspension of sentence.