Fairfax Police Aim to Stop Vehicle Larcenies

Fairfax County Police officers are planning to throw a monkey wrench into thieves' plans to steal items from cars. Operation Monkey Wrench, that is. 

On Monday, officers at the Fairfax County Police Department's  launched a new initiative, Operation Monkey Wrench, that will focus on preventing vehicle larcenies, which have long been a problem in the area. 

"It's a huge quality-of-life issue for everyone involved," said 2nd Lt. Mike Reser, who helped plan out the operation. 

In 2010, there were 458 vehicle larcenies in the Sully District, a number which jumped to 559 the following year. Local police have managed to cut down the number for the first quarter of 2012, but are concerned that there may be more crimes as the weather grows warmer. People tend to leave their windows open a crack to ventilate the car, then forget to roll it back up—providing an opening for criminals. 

As part of Operation Monkey Wrench, plainclothes officers will patrol the streets, helicopters will use infrared sensors to help detect thieves, and canines may be used to find them, if need be. They will distribute fliers with information about how to prevent larcenies, written in English and Spanish, at local elementary schools. Police also have a few other surprises for anyone who tries to break into cars, which they can't disclose just yet. 

Data shows thieves tend to break into cars Monday through Friday. Work vans, which usually have tools stowed inside, are a prime target. 

Lt. John Trace, assistant commander of the Sully District Station, said there were things people could do to prevent themselves from becoming a target.

Beyond the obvious, such as locking one's doors and rolling the windows up all the way, vehicle owners should park under street lights, if possible. They should remember not to leave any kind of money, even loose change, in the consoles. Neighbors can also work together to be active in their communities and help keep an eye on the things going on in the neighborhood.