RICHLAND COUNTY (WACH) - August can be a busy month for many, with back to school shoppers and vacationers hitting the road. The Richland County Sheriff's Department says it's also a good time for criminals to strike when you let your guard down.
"A lot of the problems we're seeing now, around the hotel, motel areas, with people traveling or being on vacation, they tend to leave their valuables in their vehicle," said RCSD Lt. Rafael Gonzalez "I-Pods, Laptops, GPS systems, cameras."
Gonzalez says students out of school for the summer make up a majority of the culprits, but there are professional car thieves out there as well.
Those thieves target cars left running in garages or at convenience stores. They can steal a car in seconds by using a screw driver to jam the ignition.
"It takes them seconds, mere seconds to steal their vehicles," said Gonzalez.
Gonzalez recommends buying a car with an anti-theft system or investing in a car alarm, or even an old standby; "The Club" steering wheel lock..
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