In Irkutsk, they reminded where car thefts most often happen, in parking lots near large shopping centers, near train stations and airports, as well as in courtyards and unsecured parking lots. Police also described unusual methods used by criminals, from puncturing tires to distracting the driver with conversation, and cited a recent case when 400 thousand rubles were stolen from a Toyota Corolla. The article also gives simple but important tips to help reduce the risk of becoming a victim of such a theft.

Places of increased criminal risk include parking lots near large shopping centers, airports, and train stations. It is worth noting that the number of thefts from cars increases at night in residential areas, when drivers leave their personal vehicles parked near home, and during the daytime in the city center from unattended parking lots. As statistics show, the make of the car does not matter.
In addition to the usual break-in through a smashed window or “picking” the car, criminals use other ways to get hold of other people’s belongings. For example, thieves puncture tires while the car is parked, distract the driver with conversation and steal items from the neighboring seat, as well as during refueling.
On September 19, 400,000 rubles were stolen from the interior of a Toyota Corolla. The owner of the foreign-made car parked it near his home for five minutes to take his child up to the apartment. When he returned, he found the front window smashed and the money and documents missing. The search for the criminals in this case is ongoing.
In order to prevent and avoid such thefts, it is not recommended to leave your cars in courtyards and sparsely populated places, and not to leave handbags, mobile phones, and other attention-grabbing items on the seats. If you leave the car, dash cams should be taken with you or put in the glove compartment. In addition, do not get distracted by conversations with strangers while leaving the car unlocked. Following basic precautionary measures will eliminate a number of conditions for this type of crime to be committed.
If the incident does occur, immediately report it to any territorial police department or by calling 02. The promptness and timeliness of your call to the internal affairs authorities will help speed up the search for the criminals.
Based on materials from the press service of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia for the city of Irkutsk