The following Crime Update is from Deputy Joshua Dubin, the Zone 6 (Newhall) zone leader at the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station:

Our current crime data in the Newhall area primarily indicates theft related challenges, such as vehicle burglaries, commercial burglary, and grand theft auto, generally in the Lyons Avenue area (between Peachland Avenue and Wiley Canyon Road). Analysis also indicates a number of recent vehicle burglaries in the areas of BottleTree Lane, Valle Del Oro, and Newhall Avenue.

The single biggest crime prevention tip we can provide pertaining to these crimes is to avoid being an easy or inviting target. Because we live in such a great and safe community, we can tend to let our guard down at times. Working together we can make a difference.

I would ask that everyone in our Newhall zone get involved, in order to make the area the safest it can be.

Sheriff’s officials are asking for the publics’ help in reducing crime in Newhall and all of Santa Clarita. We can make a difference by working together to ensure valuable items, such as purses, wallets, iPhones, GPS systems, tools, and computers, are not left inside unattended vehicles.

The victims primarily targeted are those leaving these types of valuable items visible in the interior compartment of the car. We have not seen many cases this year where valuables were stolen from the trunk of a vehicle. However, there have been cases of tools and other items stolen from locked containers on construction vehicles. Storage of items in the trunk of the vehicle is not optimal, but will help serve as a deterrent.

Please take precautions to secure your items prior to arriving at your destination or by taking them with you after you park. Make sure your vehicles are locked and parked in a well-lit area if it is going to be dark when you leave or return to your vehicle. Be cognizant of suspicious people sitting parked in their vehicles or driving around the parking lots with no apparent purpose. Example, traversing several parking lot rows while passing available parking spaces. Immediately report all suspicious activities to the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station at (661) 255-1121 or 9-1-1 in an emergency.

Help us stop this crime of opportunity. Do not allow yourselves to be victimized. We must all work together to strengthen our partnership, avoid becoming easy targets of these property crimes, and send a “Not in Santa Clarita” message.

Here is some more information to help you help us:

The recent incidents of theft all seem to share several common factors:

• They are generally occurring in residential neighborhood during the night and early morning hours.

• They are occurring when residents leave electronic items, purses, wallets or other items of value in plain view inside their parked car.

• Many of the vehicles in these recent incidents occurred after the window was broken and the criminal opportunist apparently looked inside and saw valuable items or watched the victim park their car and leave the valuables.

• A majority of the incidents involved unlocked vehicles with valuables inside.

Help us help you by taking a few simple precautions:

• Call the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station, (661) 255-1121, at the first sign of anyone casing vehicles, looking into vehicles or loitering between or around them.

• Call 9-1-1 if you see anyone tampering with automobiles or acting suspiciously in residential neighborhoods.

• Note license plate numbers or even take a picture or other information with your phone if it can be done so safely.

• Lock your car doors.

• Remove garage door openers and all items of value, such as GPS devices, cell phones, computers, purses, charging cables, tools, and iPods if the vehicle will be left in a parking lot, driveway or on the roadway.

• At the very least, the items should be placed out of view prior to your trip to your destination or, preferably, locked in the trunk prior to arrival if possible.

• Do not carry your Social Security card in your purse or wallet. Memorize your number.

The Santa Clarita Sheriff’s Station is urging all residents to follow these simple preventative measures at any hour of the day or night, even if their car is going to be parked in a public area that seems to be well populated and safe. Santa Clarita Sheriffs are continuing frequent enforcement and surveillance operations to put these thieves behind bars.