Call From Credit Card Company Tips Woman off to Car Break-in

A woman learned her car had been broken into after receiving a call from her credit card company.

According to the Gwinnett County Police incident report, the woman was playing tennis at the Hamilton Mill recreational facility on Sept. 22 when she received a call from her credit card company in reference to suspicious activity on her account.

"[The woman] stated when she went to her vehicle, she discovered someone had smashed out the front passenger window," the officer wrote.

The woman's purse, which she had placed under the center console, was missing.

The officer spoke with the property management company to determine if video surveillance footage of the incident was available. A representative of the company reportedly advised the cameras did not cover the area of the parking lot where the incident occurred.

AOL Autos offers the following tips to prevent car break-ins:

• Lock your doors.
• Keep personal belongings out of sight.
• Stow power cords, adapters and other items that might tip thieves off to the presence of concealed GPS units, iPods and other devices.
• Secure your personal belongings before, not after, you park. 
• Completely close windows and sunroofs.
• Get an alarm.
• Stick with your original audio equipment. After market stereos are often an attractive target for thieves.
• Park in a busy, well-lit area.

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