I’ve been reading about more and more car theft/break-ins happening in Austin.

And with every story of a break-in, so much is the same:

• Doors are unlocked

• Visible valuables inside

The latest I heard was someone lost about $7000 worth of contractor tools and supplies because they were in the car, parked on the street. Smash and grab and away they went. I’m sorry to hear about this, because even if they were insured, it’s still a lot of downtime and trouble to replace everything. That’s someone’s job, that’s someone’s livelihood that was deeply injured.

Fact is, these things are preventable.

Don’t leave valuables in your car. Or at least, make sure they are well-hidden.

Lock your doors. Keep your windows rolled up.

Take garage door openers inside with you. There are thefts of the openers, then the thief comes back later and now has easy access to your house (or at least your garage and all the stuff you keep in there).

Be mindful of your “valet” key as well, to ensure it’s secure.

Yes I agree. It sucks. We shouldn’t have to live this way. Alas, this is the reality of life and often small measures like this is what saves us from bigger pains later on.

Don’t wait until you get burned before you learn a lesson and make a change in your life. Learn from the mistakes of others, save yourself some pain.