Occurred on 7/6/12, 03:05 am  Burglary of a Vehicle   4600 Prescott    1207060026 

Callers called police to report suspicious person dressed in black clothing, looking into cars. Officers found a suspect matching the description and detained him.  Joseph Bailey (09/22/93) was arrested after he was positively identified. 

The victim told Officers Bailey was burglarized a White Nissan and a red Jeep Cherokee.  Another witness observed Bailey attempt to burglarize a yellow Camaro, but found the vehicle was locked and walked away.  A silver Plymouth Breeze and a blue Hyundai were also found rummaged through with documents and property inside the vehicle on the ground outside of the vehicles. 

Officers found a couple of receipts on Bailey possibly belonging to other victims.  Bailey was booked at the City Detention Center and charged with four counts of Burglary of a Vehicle.  

Further investigation revealed the vehicles Bailey burglarized were left unlocked.  According to the Texas Auto Burglary & Theft Authority a car is burglarized in Texas every 2½ minutes. An auto burglary can be deterred if the car owner leaves nothing inside and locks the car.  Other tips to follow include:

• If your must leave belongings, hide them from sight.
• Never park in unattended or poor lit parking lots.
• Do not keep your vehicle registration in your car.
• Do not leave outgoing or incoming mail in our car, especially where visible.
• Avoid leaving the garage door opener in your car.
• Never leave your vehicle or house keys in your car.
• Be aware of suspicious persons.

Remember, the best way to avoid becoming a victim of auto burglary is to be proactive.   For additional information on auto burglary and auto theft prevention, please contact Crime Prevention Advisor Brenda Moreno at 361-886-2675.