The NOPD is looking for a 1998 Toyota Avalon vehicle that was taken in the 3200 block of Memorial Park on September 11, 2017.
At about 9:40 a.m., the victim parked his vehicle in the parking lot of the Jackson Landing apartments. The victim then exited the vehicle leaving it running and the keys in the ignition. The victim told police he walked away from the vehicle for approximately two minutes but when the victim returned he discovered the vehicle missing from the area. The victim described the vehicle as having dark tinted windows and a scratch near the rear tire.
The victim also reported he left a fully loaded handgun inside of the vehicle. The vehicle has a LA license plate number of 227AYM.
If you have any information on the location of this vehicle or suspect, please contact any Fourth District detective at 504-685-6040 or 504-658-6045. Citizens with information that can help solve a crime are asked to call Crimestoppers at 504-822-1111 or toll-free 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.