June 01, 2017

Rapid City residents urged to secure their firearms/valuables after recent vehicle burglaries

Rapid City residents leaving unsecured firearms in their vehicles have resulted in at least four stolen firearms this week.

  • At around 1:25 a.m. on May 29th, police were dispatched to the 600 Block of Main Street for a report of a vehicle burglary. Police made contact with the victim who informed officers he just had a pistol stolen from his unattended parked vehicle. He informed police that he had left the loaded pistol in plain view on the passenger seat and could not recall if the vehicle was locked or not. There were no signs of forced entry to the vehicle. Police continue to investigate.
  • On May 31st at around 8:15 a.m., police were dispatched to a residence in the 100 Block of E. Meade Street for a report of a vehicle burglary. After making contact with the owner of the vehicle, police were informed that three firearms (two pistols and a military style rifle), hundreds of rounds of ammunition, and various associated accessories had been taken out of their truck. There were no signs of forced entry to the vehicle.

As the weather gets warmer, the RCPD sees an increase in the number of vehicle burglaries reported to police. The vast majority of vehicle burglaries police investigate involve unlocked vehicles. An unlocked vehicle presents an easy opportunity for thieves.

“Responsible ownership is the key to gun safety,” says Sgt. Kelvin Masur of the RCPD Criminal Investigations Division. “By leaving these weapons in an unsecured vehicle, you significantly increase the odds that these items will get in the hands of criminals. It’s an unnecessary risk to our community which is incredibly easy to prevent.”

Protecting yourself from vehicle burglaries is simple:

  • Secure your vehicle by locking its doors when leaving it unattended.
  • Take valuables inside and don’t leave valuables unattended in your vehicle.
  • If you must leave valuable items in your vehicle, keep them out of plain view. Put them in the trunk/glovebox, or cover them up.

The overall message is simple: Secure your firearms and lock your car doors. 

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