Editorial: Lock it or lose it is the warning

It is astonishing how casual people are sometimes.

I reckon that most New Zealanders work on the basis that nothing bad is going to happen to them, until it does.

There is nothing wrong with a glass-half-full philosophy to life. I reckon it is great and often it is the only way to keep one's head above water these days. Imagine if we were doom-and-gloom merchants who looked at the terrible state of the world around us: we would be locked inside, afraid to do anything,

But, the opposite of that is being too casual and that is what many of us are like.

Next time you are in a supermarket parking lot, casually look into a few cars as you make your way to the store. You will not believe what you see - wallets, iPads, iPods, cellphones and many other expensive items staring back at you, in full view.

Either the owners of the car have far too much money that they don't mind if a cellphone or two is nicked, or (the more probable version) they are very complacent. They are rushed, they think that no one will notice or they just don't really believe that someone will go to the trouble of breaking a window or jemmying a lock to steal something.

Where there is a will there is a way and a shiny new car with lots of goodies can be too much of a temptation for an enterprising thief. The reason I am raising this issue is that a spate of carpark thefts have left police concerned and prompted a warning to people to "lock it or lose it".

Hawke's Bay Police have told us they have seen an expected increase in thefts from cars as the weather heats up and people leave vehicles parked in scenic-spot carparks.

My favourite, Te Mata Peak, where I go regularly, is a particular target. Thieves view the carpark there and the ones at Maraetotara Falls and Pakowhai Park as soft targets and cars there have been hit by thieves in recent weeks. Police believe the trend will continue, so it is up to people to be more vigilant. Not only must you ensure your own car does not have valuables visible for all to see, but you need to watch for suspicious people hanging around cars.

Police say that if you see anyone acting suspiciously around vehicles, especially in isolated carparks, ring police immediately on 111. If possible, take down vehicle registration numbers. It is up to us to take control.

Don't let thieves rule our lives.