Burglars rifle cars for remotes

A few weeks ago, eight houses on Black Mountain Road in Mira Mesa were all hit on the same day. A garage door opener previously stolen from one Black Mountain resident's car was used to break into his garage that day. A very expensive bike was stolen.

Recently, Victor G. of the Clairemont Olive Grove area alerted neighbors on NextDoor.com that his SUV had been dug through in the middle of the night. The next morning, he found the center console, glove compartment, and overhead storage all open and empty. He also found an expensive pair of glasses, cash, and other minor things of value still there. At this point, he realized that he had left his car unlocked and that the opportunist had possibly been searching for the garage door opener.

Two years ago, something similar happened to another neighbor in the same area. Video surveillance shows a 20- to 30-year-old blonde male casually opening his car and riffling through everything while leaving money, an iPod, and other valuables behind. What was most surprising was how casual the thief was as he set a huge soft drink on top of the SUV before ransacking the car. This same neighbor regrets not reporting it to the police because of it not being a forced entry and nothing having been stolen. At the time, it hadn't occurred to him that the garage door remote might have been the focus.

A few months ago, the same thing happened to a North Clairemont resident. At the time, it was well-known that a lot of kids were looking for loose change in unlocked cars. This time the thief did take a pair of sunglasses and iPhone ear buds. Luckily, the resident disengages her garage door opener every night with a smart remote option leaving it useless if stolen.

Diane D. from the Clairemont Olive Grove area said, "I've had this happen to me three times already on Berwick Drive." In one incident, Diane shared, someone stole an old car radio remote from her vehicle. She surmised that the thief probably mistook it for a garage door opener.

Two months ago, an East Clairemont resident had her car broken into as it was parked in front of her home. This time the thief did get away with the garage door remote. The resident changed the code the next morning upon discovery.

And most recently in the North Clairemont area on Saturday, Steve R. found his car had been rummaged through after accidentally leaving his car unlocked. He also found nothing of value taken.

Neighborhood Watch is starting back up in many neighborhoods and will be sharing lots of tips and reminders with residents such as: remembering to lock your car, leaving no valuables or garage remotes in vehicles, locking side gates, and having motion/flood lights in the front or side of a house. All of these things deter the opportunistic criminals who are prone to riffling through vehicles in the middle of the night.