Identity thieves may be targeting unlocked cars at homes on quiet country lanes, victim says

Alexandra Jablecki knows she shouldn?t have left her car unlocked overnight.

But she still finds it troubling that thieves felt comfortable snooping around vehicles outside her northwest Petaluma home, down a quiet country lane where strangers would certainly be noticed.

?The boldness of it is what?s worrisome to me,? said the Oak Lane resident, who on April 23 discovered her glove box had been rifled through, though it appears nothing was stolen.

However, thieves also targeted a car at her parents? house next door and took a credit card from the vehicle of a neighbor, she said.

Papers from her glove box were left on the passenger seat, Jablecki said.

She learned later that some residents on Jessie Lane suspected that belongings in their vehicles had also been disturbed and feared that thieves had also targeted that area.

?It seems as if they?re targeting a private drive each night,? she said.

In the case of her neighbor, whose credit card was stolen out of his glove box, the thief or thieves had to scale a gate to reach the vehicle.

?It?s a little bit alarming,? Jablecki said.

For the full story, see Thursday's Argus-Courier.