VALDOSTA – The Valdosta Police Department is urging the public to take caution after over 45 calls were to E911 about vehicles being broken into.

Release:

Since January 1, 2025, the Valdosta Police Department has responded to over 45 calls for service, where citizens called E911 to report that their vehicle had been broken into. In 17 of the 45 calls for service, 18 firearms were reported stolen. In nine of the 17 calls where a gun was reported stolen, the vehicles had not been locked, and owners only had serial numbers for eight of the firearms.

We are asking for the public’s assistance to take extra steps to prevent becoming a victim. Please remove all valuable items from your vehicles and lock your doors before entering your residence.  We are asking everyone to write down all serial numbers of any valuables, especially firearms.  Without providing serial numbers, law enforcement is unable to enter them into databases to register them as stolen. Also, without serial numbers, law enforcement cannot return property to you when it is recovered.

Please take extra steps to protect your property and help us in keeping firearms out of the hands of teenagers.

If you need a gun lock, you can get one free of charge at the Valdosta Police Department.

If anyone has any further information on this case or any other cases, please contact the Valdosta Police Department Bureau of Investigative Services at 229-293-3145, the crime tip line at 229-293-3091, or file a tip online at www.valdostacity.com/police-department.