NEW ORLEANS (WGNO)— Be careful where you park and be sure to lock up, because more that one thousand cars have been stolen in New Orleans already this year.
That’s the message of a new 3-tiered campaign from the Louisiana State Police (LSP).
In fact, the agency is also warning about car break-ins and hoping to prevent gun thefts from cars,
Trooper First Class Kate Stegall says, “With Mardi Gras coming and celebrations and the visitors it brings and the community members that will be down there enjoying it, we want to make sure that everyone has the most information possible to prevent themselves from becoming a victim of vehicle theft”
A lot of what the agency is suggesting is common sense, like parking in well-lit areas, using a security device like a steering wheel lock and, if possible, a GPS device or OnStar.
“If you do not subscribe to it, law enforcement does not have the capability to track that vehicle when the theft occurs,” said Stegall.
While many of the same rules apply to car break-ins, state police add do not leave valuables in your car while attending parades.
On the issue of firearms. While it is illegal to carry a gun to a parade, the agency strongly suggests leaving them guns at home or locking the firearm in a box or safe that is secured inside your car.
According to Stegall, “Mounting that safe to that vehicle prevents the thief from being able to remove that safe, yet the gun is secured inside of that safe.”