Columbia police offer free home security inspections

Vehicle break-ins happen frequently across Columbia.

“There is no one place to move in Columbia to get away from this,” one CPD sergeant told ABC 17 News.

To try to make sure you’re staying as safe as possible, the Columbia Police Department offers a free home security inspection.

After a string of break-ins in one Columbia apartment complex, an officer started leaving fliers on residents’ cars and on the doors.

The flier has a list of “conditions” which “might provide an invitation for crime”. The list includes unlocked doors, valuables and electronics left in unlocked cars, and a car left running and unattended.

It also includes ways to reduce the risk of becoming a victim of theft including closing windows and locking doors, parking in well lit areas of the parking lot, and keeping a list of serial numbers for electronics.

The flier also provides with information on how to receive a free home safety inspection. Residents can call the Police Department at 874-7652.

The sergeant who distributed the fliers says these are available for any officer in the city to hand out. He said it’s very difficult to catch the suspects who break-in to the cars. He said they’ll often move from place to place throughout a night and many times victims don’t realize they’ve been burglarized until the morning.

He said he’s hoping by leaving the fliers, neighbors will start to create a dialogue and start looking out for each other and reporting suspicious activity.