Car break-ins on the rise; Collier deputies remind public to lock their vehicles

Lock it or lose it.

Deputies are reminding residents to lock their vehicles in order to protect their belongings.

WINK News tagged along with Collier County deputies in North Naples as they searched for unlocked vehicles.

Car break-ins investigated by the Collier County Sheriff’s Office have soared from last year to this year.

In 2021, from January through the beginning of May, five car break-ins were investigated by Collier deputies, the sheriff’s office said.

This year during the same time period, there were 24 investigations relating to car break-ins.

Collier County Lt. Tom Orr, district commander of the North Naples substation, said too many people leave their guard down and become victims in seconds with a smashed window or unlocked doors.

“I think people come here, and as you know population is booming here and people feel really comfortable here,” Orr said.

The hot spots from these crimes of opportunity lately have been in public parking lots, rather than neighborhoods.

“Last week, we had three that occurred in Veterans Park, in this plaza,” Orr said. “We also got hit over by Barefoot Beach. So parks, gyms and businesses, they occasionally they do become victimized from the kind of stuff.”

A parkgoer now said he locks the compartment where he stores his gun after the sheriff’so office posted about break-ins.

Others like Larry Picciani, they push that lock button multiple times.

“I always lock it,” Picciani said.

Deputies say if you must leave valuables in the car, lock them in the trunk and also lock the car.