Never Leave Devices in an Unattended Vehicle

Opportunistic vehicle burglary requires little planning and almost no risk for the offender: a door left unlocked or a window left ajar is all the access needed. In documented incidents across T&T, suspects have entered parked vehicles in broad daylight outside restaurants, supermarkets, and commercial areas, removed a phone or bag, and walked away within seconds — often captured on nearby CCTV. The entire event happens before any bystander can react, and because there is no confrontation, victims rarely discover the loss until they return to their vehicle. The device itself is secondary to the opportunity; leaving anything visible inside a parked vehicle is what creates the target.

Steps to follow:

• Take your phone, wallet, and any bag with you every time you leave the vehicle — even for a short errand that will take a few minutes.
• Never leave a device on a seat, dashboard, or centre console where it is visible through the window; place it in the boot before reaching your destination if you cannot take it with you.
• Always lock your vehicle before walking away — check that the doors are locked, not just that the key has been turned; some vehicles with faulty actuators appear locked but are not.
• If your vehicle does not have a boot or secure storage area, carry valuables on your person or leave them at home.
• When returning to your vehicle in a public area, check the interior briefly before entering — an open door or disturbed items indicates a breach that should be reported to 999.
• Report all vehicle break-ins, including those where nothing appears to have been taken — location patterns are only identifiable when incidents are reported consistently.