Duluth police have come up with a new idea to protect vehicle owners from prowlers -- a yellow placard that can be hung from a car or truck's rearview mirror.
The placard reminds vehicle owners to remove their valuables when leaving the vehicle. It also tells would-be thieves not to waste their time breaking into the vehicle -- anything of value has been removed.
"We've battled car-prowl issues for a while; it seems to have spiked as the economy has gotten worse," said Lt. Kerry Kolodge, western patrol area commander. "We've tried a number of things to decrease car prowls. We've had recent success with citizens calling in and helping us identify suspects in both burglaries and car prowls. But one of the things we can't get a handle on is that people are still leaving valuable things in their cars."
Sgt. Jeff Kazel, the officer in charge of the community policing program in the western patrol area of Duluth, came up with the idea.
The yellow placards are to be hung from the rearview mirror of the vehicle after it is parked. The placard reminds motorists and their passengers to remove bags, purses, brief cases -- even if empty -- computers, loose change and anything that might look valuable to a thief.
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Police will pass out the placards in the western neighborhoods of the city on a trial basis and monitor whether they make a difference there. "Our goal is to have enough people want them that we have to print more of them," Kolodge said.
The Lincoln Park Citizens Patrol has also produced similar placards to pass out in its neighborhood. The placards will be available at the Harrison Community Recreation Center Fun Fest from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday.
"We don't really know how this is going to go, but it's got to start with the vehicle owners," said Pam Kleinschmidt, captain of the Lincoln Park Citizens Patrol. "This is a reminder to owners to look around your vehicle. If you see a quarter sitting in your tray it may be parking money, but it's an invitation for somebody to steal cash or look for more money."
The placards must be removed from a rearview mirror when the vehicle is in operation.
