Help reduce crime during holiday season

Carson City is seeing some of the lowest crimes rates we have experienced in years, including a 30 percent reduction in residential burglaries and 29 percent reduction in commercial burglaries just this year alone.

While we’re working hard on solving the thefts and burglaries that have already occurred, we’re always looking to improve on how to prevent them from occurring to begin with. We’re entering the holiday season when vehicle burglaries and home burglaries tend to increase. To help us improve in the area of preventing crime we’re asking assistance from the public.

Don’t allow anyone into your home you don’t know or have verified to be employed by a trusted company you have asked services from. Don’t open the door to strangers and don’t be afraid to ask for identification from someone soliciting your business. All solicitors are required to provide you a copy of their permit in order to go door to door in Carson City.

Report suspicious people and vehicles in your neighborhood or businesses. If you can safely obtain license plate numbers from any suspicious vehicles this may help in identifying those who are committing criminal behavior. Many burglaries in homes occur during the day time while the owners are at work. A common tactic from burglars is to knock on the front door to see if anyone is at home then have some fake reason for being there if someone answers.

With the colder weather approaching we see the increase in people starting up their vehicles and leaving them to warm up unattended. Many newer vehicles are equipped with a remote start and kill switch if someone attempts to gain access to drive them off without the key however older vehicles may not be equipped with this option. Vehicles left unlocked with a key in the ignition pose a strong possibility of it getting stolen. We have several vehicles that are reported stolen during this time of the year and just like anything else, if you make it easy for them to steal it, they will.

Detectives and the Special Enforcement Team are currently working several investigations in which we have identified different suspects involved in criminal activity in Carson City. We’re working with other agencies within the area, conducting surveillance, and interviewing cooperating sources of information putting together cases on those we believe are looking to continue their criminal behavior.

Technology is becoming more advanced allowing new ways to solve crimes in Carson City. Both home owners and businesses are investing in security cameras that are motion activated with real time coverage. This allows them the ability to see what is taking place on their property by simply receiving alerts to their smart phones. Video and audio recordings of criminals combined with traditional policing such as using finger prints, DNA, tracking stolen property, the publics assistance in reporting suspicious activity and tracking of known criminals has helped us reduce crime.