Beware, holiday shoppers: Some car prowlers are now using window punches — and electronically popping open trunks.
By Gene Stout 
Special to The Seattle Times Autos
You may be proud of that new coffeemaker you just bought your spouse for Christmas, but don’t leave it on the back seat of your car while you finish shopping at the mall.
Car prowls happen year-round, but during the holiday season, it’s especially important to be careful. No one needs the added stress of a break-in.
“Making sure your car is less tempting than somebody else’s is key,” says Seattle Police Detective Patrick Michaud.
“It’s kind of a harsh way to put it, but if you want to avoid being a victim of a car prowl, take your stuff off the seats and off the floorboards and move it into the trunk. One, you’ll have a cleaner car that’ll be easier to sit in; and two, you won’t be a victim.”
Last year, 12,605 car break-ins were reported in Seattle, according to police crime data. Though the number of car prowls has been trending slightly downward this year, by mid-October the number had already reached 9,570.
Car alarms — or alarm stickers — are a deterrent. But can they stop thieves?
“If the risk is worth the reward, they’re still going to take the opportunity to bust the window and risk an alarm,” Michaud says.
Indeed, most break-ins are accomplished by breaking a window.
Michaud notes that many newer cars come with alarms, but most alarms aren’t triggered by breaking a window. Window punches, which are sold at auto parts stores as safety devices, have become a tool for thieves.
“So you can have an alarm, but it only triggers when the door is opened or when a thief tries to start the car without a key. Or the car shakes enough,” he says.
Brent Amacher, a State Farm insurance agent in West Seattle, has noticed a gradual increase in crime and insurance claims in recent years.
“There’s just more crime in our city,” Amacher says. “We’re becoming a larger city and we’re dealing with big-city problems, from homeless issues to more accidents and crime.”
To track crime in your neighborhood, go to the Seattle Police Department Records Map.
Preventive measures should be a no-brainer, Amacher says. Never leave valuables in plain sight. Lock them in the trunk and make sure no one is watching you. Thieves look for the path of least resistance, and valuables left in a car — even an old gym bag filled with dirty clothes — become an attractive target.
Amacher has also noticed a troubling new trend. Thieves are gaining access to newer cars by popping open the trunks electronically, essentially hacking into the vehicle’s electrical system and overriding the commands of the wireless key.
“It’s pretty scary,” he says.
Seattle Police recommends that if your car is stored in a carport or parked near your house, leave your exterior lights on all night.
If you park your car in a dark or isolated area, consider the City Light Area Lighting Program, which permits additional light fixtures to be placed on existing poles. The cost is less than $5 a month per light. Call 206-684-3000 for more information.
Michaud says most people who’ve been broken into just want to report the break-in and move on.
“It’s a nuisance,” he says. “They just want to be able to move on from that feeling of anger and get back to whatever they were doing and be done with it.”
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After a break-in

It’s important for a victim of a car prowl to call police or fill out a form online. Without a report, police can’t track crime and direct patrols into the area to stop emerging crime trends.
Next, contact your insurance agent to make a claim. Have your policy number ready, as well as the police case number. Car insurance typically covers only damage to the vehicle — broken windows and body damage — and not the items stolen. Contents are covered separately by homeowner’s or renter’s insurance.