Press Release from Chief Terry Wright.
The Tillamook Police Department is starting to see a higher than normal level of thefts occurring at night in the community. Even though the vast majority of the community are properly sheltering at home when not doing essential travel, there is still activity at night by persons who have a selfish purpose. We are having thefts from vehicles, thefts of vehicles and thefts from private property. We are all focusing on diligence in protecting our families and ourselves from the current emergency. We need to also be diligent in protecting property.
Even with past releases and posting about guns left in vehicles, we just had yet another gun theft of a gun left in a vehicle. The vast majority of these guns are traded immediately for a very small amount of drugs. The guns are then sold cheaply to other persons who otherwise could not legally have a gun. There is no reason to leave a gun in your vehicle, especially left in plain view or left in an unlocked vehicle.
Do not leave anything in your vehicle if you do not need to. Even if you lock your vehicle, if there is an indication of something in your vehicle that can be traded for drugs, it will be taken. You will then be missing property and have to replace a broken window.
Did you know you can show vehicle insurance on your phone in Oregon? When you leave identification in your vehicle and it is taken or possibly photographed, we suggest you check your credit report every few months in case they used your information to open credit cards and other fraud. This action could take you months to years to fix.
It is amazing, especially in cold weather, how many people leave their vehicle running to warm it up or to run in to a store. I see it all the time. If someone takes your vehicle and then you report it stolen, the vehicle could end up in a crash, pursuit or other criminal activity where person(s) could be hurt or killed. If the vehicle is left running on a street, it is a vehicle code violation.
(Yes, sometimes the Tillamook Police Department leaves our vehicle(s) running at crashes or other activity, but we have Safe Stop. The key comes out of the vehicle and if someone enters the vehicle and touches any switch, brake or other parts of the vehicle, the vehicle immediately turns off).
We are asking that you please be diligent and aware to protect your family. If you have questions, please call during business hours, 503-842-2522. Do not call dispatch with questions.
