Township Official: Be a Good Neighbor and Lock Your Car

After a rash of car break-ins throughout the Newtown area, local officials are asking residents to be sure they lock their vehicles at all times. Nearly all of the reported thefts have been from unlocked cars, police say.

Locking your car is not just important to protect you; it’s key to the safety of our neighborhoods, Newtown Township Board of Supervisors Chairman Rob Ciervo said at a meeting Wednesday.

“If you continue to keep your car unlocked, you’re basically inviting thieves to not just your house but to your neighborhood,” Ciervo said.

This past Sunday alone, the Newtown Township Police Department received nine reports of car break-ins. Each of the victims told officers that they had left their vehicles unlocked overnight. Stolen items have included cell phones, cash, electronics, golf clubs and more.

If the thieves continue to be successful, Ciervo said he worries that more alarming scenarios will occur.

“I start to worry that these thieves will get more bold and start doing the crimes not just in the middle of the night,” Ciervo said. “It's not just about your car, it’s about our neighborhoods.”