Swanson and the guest walked through the venue’s parking lot. Two additional cars were broken into, including Swanson’s. Her front windshield was cracked and two windows were shattered. The leather seats and plastic cup holders were scratched.
“I always have my stuff in my car. It’s safer than in the wedding venue. We’ve had guests who steal people’s phones, gift cards,” she said.
Charges were made with Swanson’s credit card at Fred Meyer, Walmart, Safeway and a cigar store that night. After she cancelled her credit cards, they tried to change the address associated with her bank account. They wanted the new debit card she ordered.
Then, someone showed up at her home in Arlington. A car pulled into her driveway and parked beside her car. The driver was peering into her car windows, she said. She suspects the driver saw her through the window because the car pulled out and parked by the mailbox.
Swanson is uncertain whether the two incidents are related, but she is concerned. Her cul-de-sac is out of the way. Not many people besides her neighbors are seen driving around.
Sheriff’s office spokeswoman Shari Ireton said police see more break-ins when crooks know a car will be left for a long period of time, such as at a mall or in a residential driveway.
“Always lock your car, make sure the windows are locked and rolled up, and hide anything that is valuable, even if it’s change. It may not seem valuable to you, but it may be to someone else,” she said.
People can reduce their risk of these types of break-ins by limiting what they share publicly. For example, burglars can monitor the photos people post online to see when they’re away on vacation.
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