Broken Arrow Police Reminds Folks To Lock Up Their Cars During National Vehicle Theft Prevention Month

July is National Vehicle Theft Prevention Month and the Broken Arrow Police Department sent out reminders of ways for people to protect their cars.

Many people use their cars every day- to get to work, grab some lunch, or to run errands. While they run through their list of things to do, some other important tasks may slip their minds.

"No matter how long you think you're going to be away from your vehicle, even if it's just a minute make sure you're locking your vehicle," said Sergeant Sawyer with the Broken Arrow Police Department. 

One Broken Arrow woman said thieves targeted her and her friends one time when they were out for a run.

"We all had our athletic backpacks that had our extra gear in it. I had like a sentimental picture of my grandma who had passed, so that hit home pretty easy and pretty hard," Sara Haueter said. 

Haueter said that experience made her more aware of keeping her car and belongings safe, "we make sure we hear that beep, that second lock."

She wasn't the only one who had been extra careful about her car.

"So, I keep it at home in the garage a lot and drive an ordinary rogue around town, but it makes me worry about theft," said Chris Putman. 

Putman was driving her 1997 Mitsubishi 3000 GT. She said it's a coveted collector's item, one someone had tried stealing before.

"The alarms were going off. I walked the perimeter of the car and I noticed that someone had tried to take a crowbar and tried to break into the hood of the car to get in there and disarm it," Putman said. 

Broken Arrow Police said not only should people lock their cars, but some other safety measures are also just as important.

"You can make sure you're parking in well-lit areas, well-populated areas. You can also look at installing security devices such as a steering wheel lock or just making sure your car alarm is functioning properly," Sergeant Sawyer said. 

The Broken Arrow Police Department asks folks to always report vehicle theft, whether big or small, so they can help.