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Valuables In Cars In Plain Sight 'Like A Fishing Lure' For Thieves

DENVER (CBS4) - Denverite David Goodsell lost thousands of dollars worth of work tools when thieves broke into his pickup truck.

"All they want is a few dollars from a pawn shop. Meanwhile, it's my livelihood," Goodsell told CBS4.

theft
(credit: CBS)

His was one of 36 different vehicles that were broken into over the past 16 days in Denver's Berkeley neighborhood. The break-ins have been happening at night, and Officer Robert Gibbs said the thieves work fast.

"It takes a thief two or three seconds to break a window and reach in and grab it and be gone," Gibbs said.

Besides the tools stolen from Goodsell, the thieves have been snatching purses and wallets. In one case, a backpack containing three guns was stolen.

"Why there was three guns in the backpack, I can't explain that, but now it's very concerning to us as police officers that we now have to worry about these three guns. And not only us, but the citizens as well," he said.

break-ins
(credit: CBS)

In a majority of the cases -- including the stolen backpack -- car owners said they had left their valuables in a place inside their vehicle where the thieves could have seen them.

"It's like a fishing lure to criminals: 'Come and get me,'" he said.

Goodsell admits he was one of those victims. Not wanting to bring an old table saw inside, he left it in the bed of his truck. By morning, it was gone.

"Nobody is going to get anything for it," he said. "That was probably an attractor."

Police say car owners should avoid leaving any valuables in their cars, but if they must, they advise placing them in a trunk or somewhere no one can see them.

Goodsell told CBS4 he has learned a lesson from his experience.

"After that, I'm smartened up," he said.

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