Third-Row Seats Snagged from SUVs

A spike in burglarized SUVs in Newport Beach has police encouraging residents to be aware of where they park their vehicles.

Police say between Friday, Sept. 28 and Saturday, Sept. 29 four SUVs were burglarized in three locations. In each case, the suspect punched the driver’s side door lock to gain entry into the victim's locked vehicle.

• According two police, two SUVs in the 400 block of Holmwood Drive were burglarized. Two third-row seats with black leather, a laptop, 120 swimsuits, 30 sweatshirts, 30 T-shirts and Makita tools were stolen from the SUVs.

• Police say a suspect tried to remove a third-row seat from a vehicle parked on Park Place, but the attempt was unsuccessful.

• The rear hatch of a vehicle in the 3100 block of Broad Street was found open, but police say the third-row seats had not been removed.

The following tips are recommended to keep your third-row seats secure:

• Use a bicycle-style cable lock to secure the third-row seat to your vehicle. 
• Remove the seat when not in use. 
• Park your vehicle in the garage. 
• Engrave the VIN number or your driver license number on the seat frame.
• Consider parking in an open lot. At night, make sure the lot is well-lighted. Most of the thefts have occurred in parking structures.
•  When possible, back your vehicle in against a solid object to prevent access to the rear of your vehicle.
• Close all windows and lock all doors.

If you see suspicious activity, call the Newport Beach Police Department at 949-644-3717.