Top Stories Memphis

• Tis the season for holiday shopping — and smash and grabs.
• Even if your vehicle is locked, plastic door handles make it easy for a thief to pop open your door.
• Hiding your valuables under blankets doesn’t cut it; make sure they are securely stored in a trunk at minimum.

keli.rabon@wreg.com

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(Memphis 12/15/2009) Billy Barden thought he did all of the right things. It was the middle of the day and his doors were locked, but it appears that his truck’s door handles made his vehicle a target.

Like many newer Ford truck door handles, Barden’s are made of plastic. One look at his, and you can understand how easy it was for someone to break.

Once inside the truck, Barden says the thief stole his laptop, GPS, MP3 Player, after-market radio and Christmas gifts from inside shopping bags.

Barden guesses it only took a few seconds for someone to pop the plastic door handle and steal about $2,000 worth of electronics, but he hopes others can learn from his experience.

“There were several vehicles around mine that would have been just as nice to get into and may had nicer things in them. But I think they targeted this type of door, so I think they were watching possibly,” Barden said.

“I guess the lesson is the crooks are fast. so you shouldn’t leave things showing in your car. I’m not trying to blame the victim obviously, people shouldn’t break into cars. But it doesn’t take long to get robbed,” Pink Palace Director Stephen Pike said.

We’re On Your Side with tips on keeping your car safe this holiday season:

* Lock your doors — Double check them before you walk away, and make sure your sunroof, trunk, and windows are closed tight.
* “Stow it, Don’t Show it” — Don’t just hide your bags with a blanket. That just lets a thief know there’s something underneath!
* Be Cautious of Plastic Door Handles — consider investing in a car alarm. Billy Barden learned the hard way, that sometimes locks just aren’t enough.