PLANO (1080 KRLD)- Police in Plano are urging women who visit the city's parks or nature preserves to leave their purses at home. The warning comes after a string of car burglaries in the past few weeks in which purses have been stolen out of parked cars.
"Since November 1st, we've had eight reported incidents," said Plano Police Officer David Tilley. "All of them were at dog parks or nature parks where people were going to get out and go for a walk...where their car has been burglarized. In each of these cases, a purse was taken from the vehicle."
While most people are used to hiding their valuables inside their car, Officer Tilley says that may not be enough.
"When they exit that vehicle, and they leave that purse inside many times it's not either hidden enough or someone sees them get out of that vehicle...not taking their purse with them," he said. "Anticipating here's a purse inside that vehicle, they break into the car. In a matter of seconds, they have the purse, the person's i-d, credit cards...everything of importance that's inside that purse."
He says if women choose to hide their purse inside the car, they should do it before arriving a the park - since it appears some criminals may be observing people in the parking lot. The Department's recommendation is for women visiting parks to leave their purses at home, instead taking on a small bag with their i-d and a few other personal items that they can carry with them.