*** NOT ACTUAL VEHICLE INVOLVED IN THIS INCIDENT ***

NOPD officers are searching for a gray 2015 Toyota Camry that was reported stolen on Friday, (March 30).

The victim told police he parked and locked his vehicle, bearing Louisiana license plate #ZDW598, in the 2200 block of N. Peters Street on Thursday, March 29, 2018, at or about 9:30 p.m. The victim returned to the location the next day at or around 6:30 a.m. and discovered his vehicle was missing from the area.

Auto Burglary and Theft Prevention

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.

Anyone with additional information regarding this incident is asked to contact Fifth District detectives at 504-658-6050. 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.