“Drivers need to understand that almost anything they leave inside their vehicles can be valuable to a thief.  And when vehicles are left unlocked and unattended, drivers are inviting thieves to walk away with everything they see inside, which often includes gifts, purses, wallets, packages, electronics, suitcases, garage door openers, keys, and personal information,” According to the Texas Department of Public Safety, thieves committed 221,065 acts of vehicle burglary and stole 63,379 vehicles in Texas during 2011.  In some jurisdictions, more than half of vehicle thefts occurred because doors were unlocked and keys left inside.  But drivers can avoid becoming part of these statistics.  The ABTPA and its 29 vehicle crime task forces in Texas offer three basic safety tips to motorists to help prevent vehicle crimes during the holidays and throughout the year:  remove belongings from view, secure vehicles, and never leave keys inside.  In addition to practicing these prevention methodologies, drivers should park in areas that are well-lit, near surveillance cameras (if available), and near heavy foot and vehicle traffic.  The more thieves feel threatened by detection, the less likely they are to focus on targets in such vulnerable areas. The Texas Auto Theft Prevention Authority (ATPA) was created by the Texas Legislature in 1991 to fund programs to reduce vehicle thefts.  The passing of House Bill 1887 in 2007 expanded the scope of the agency to include automobile burglary and added that term to the Authority’s title.  For more information on the ABTPA, auto burglary, vehicle theft, prevention, statistics, contacts for any of ABTPA’s 29 Texas vehicle crime task forces, public service announcements, or to schedule an interview with task force personnel, call 800-CAR-WATCH or visit the ABTPA website at www.txwatchyourcar.com.