Cold weather and stinging winds mean students are making fewer treks to their vehicles which often are parked in lots far away from their cozy homes.

Unfortunately, not checking on your vehicle can leave you vulnerable not only to the frozen engines and dead batteries, but also to burglaries.

“Police can’t be everywhere,” said Sgt. Albert Ekstrom from the University Police. “We depend on students, staff and faculty to police their own cars.”

Ekstrom cited that although officers do patrol parking lots 24 hours a day, there cannot be an officer standing near every vehicle at every point during the day.

There are simple measures he recommends in order to protect vehicles, ranging from making sure car doors are locked to checking on the vehicle on a regular basis.

Checking on your vehicle occasionally provides a better time line in the event of a break-in. If the car hasn’t been checked in weeks, Ekstrom explained, it makes an investigation more difficult.

Since less than 10 percent of goods stolen from a burglary are recovered, doing everything possible to prevent a break-in is important.

The most common items taken during vehicle burglaries are stereo equipment and speakers. Also, expensive wheels, rims and even tires have known to be stolen. Other valuables, such as television monitors or computers, that are installed or stored in vehicles also are in danger.

Since most burglaries are crimes of opportunity, Ekstrom stressed that prevention is key.

The goal is to harden the target, or at least change the face of the target, he said.

Ways to do this would include removing stereo units from the dash or by using stereo models with the removable face plates.

Ekstrom also recommended marking valuables with distinguishing characteristics for easier identification. Keeping a list of the make, model and serial number as well as the cost of the equipment, would make determining the replacement value much easier.

“I would recommend that you absolutely hang on to the sales receipts,” Ekstrom said.

Locking doors seems like second nature to many students on campus, but students have varying opinions when it comes to where the vehicle is parked. Another tip from Ekstrom was to park in lighted areas, but Schawn Spreadbury, a freshman undecided major, pointed out how difficult that is to do.

“Parking near a light is virtually impossible,” Spreadbury said.