The NOPD is seeking assistance from the public in identifying and locating three suspects who were observed pulling on vehicle doors and gaining entry into a vehicle in the 500 block of Belleville Street.
The victim told police on Thursday, June 21, 2018, he observed an unknown male subject pulling on the door handle of his 2018 Toyota Tundra. The subject then noticed the victim, at which time he fled the scene, heading toward Opelousas Avenue.
The victim relocated to a neighbor’s house to notify him that his vehicle doors were open. The second victim went to check on his vehicle and noticed several items rearranged in the interior of the vehicle. The victim did not report anything stolen during this incident.
The subjects are described as black males, wearing backpacks and flashlights.
Anyone with information regarding this incident is asked to contact Fourth District detectives at 504-658-6040. 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.
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.