Car Break-ins

This is information a business owner never wants to have to announce.  But I received this today:

“The Tacoma Police Department has noticed a large increase in the number of vehicle prowls in the past month.  Some of the hardest hit areas are the Stadium District, Wright Park, St. Helens Ave, and Downtown.  Please do your part to prevent being victimized.  Close all windows, lock all doors, park in well lit areas and NEVER keep valuable items in your vehicle.  Intriguing items to thieves are cell phones, IPods, GPS systems (and their chargers), blankets or jackets, gym bags, shopping bags, and spare coins.  Report all crimes and suspicious people to the police immediately @ 253 798-4721 or 911.”

That’s us at 411 Fawcett.  In the past 5 weeks two of our members have had a window broken and car rifled.  Both were during an early morning class, between 5:30 and 7:30.  I highly recommend that you don’t leave anything in your cars that you would miss.  Bring it into the gym, we’ll give you a hand with it.  If I’m late in sounding the alarm, I apologize.  In over 3 years, this has never been a problem.

Be that as it may, we can be prepared and proactive now.  First, follow the recommendation and keep valuables out of the car as well as thief lures, like bags.  Judging by the broken windows, they aren’t popping trunks, so that may be a safer place.  Also, keep an eye out when you’re coming to and from classes.  There are a few mangy locals who you’ll see from time to time, but pay attention to what people are doing, if anyone triggers some internal alarm, tell one of our staff.  And watch each other to your cars.  We’ll have trainers stick their heads out the door each class.  With our traffic and staff presence, we should be able to keep a close watch on our section of Tacoma turf.  Lastly, come prepared to be outside.  We tend to retreat indoors in the Winter (who wouldn’t?) but a few more workouts and warm-ups with running will soon appear in our programming.  We’ll drive them away with the pitter patter of our feet.