Gazebo Gazette

Mississippi Coast Crime Stoppers has teamed up with Coast Chiefs and Sheriffs to bring awareness to residents about the importance of locking their homes and vehicles.

The #9PMRoutine reminds residents to remove valuables from their vehicles, especially guns and lock their vehicles and homes, turn on porch lights and perform other crime preventing measures before 9PM each night. Crime Stoppers and law enforcement agencies will use the media, social media and word of mouth to relay the #9PMRoutine message which was started several years ago by Pasco County Sheriff’s Department in Florida.

Coast law enforcement officials say most vehicle burglaries are due to vehicles being left unlocked. Chief Daren Freeman from Pass Christian Police Department states, “Pass Christian and cities across the Coast have experienced a large number of vehicle burglaries during the past few months while the vehicles are left unlocked. By simply locking the doors, not leaving valuables in plain view and never leaving guns in unattended vehicles, we will decrease the number of thefts. If everyone will get in the routine of locking their doors, this is a preventable crime.”