As Prince George's Co. car break-ins soar, police offer tips to prevent them

A spike in vehicle break-ins will make you think twice about leaving your valuables in the car. Prince George's County police reported 20 car break-ins on Sunday alone and more than 2,300 this year, a 14 percent increase from last year.

Plumber Preston McGilvery was victimized over the weekend when someone broke the lock on his passenger-side door to steal his expensive tools.

"I can't even work today. Cause I have no tools to work with," McGilvery remarked.

You can decrease the chances of becoming a victim by not leaving valuable items in plain sight in your vehicle. Simply locking your doors can help ward off crooks as well.

"If somebody's out to look for something and they see there's nothing in the car, they're going to keep on going," Cpl. Matthew Wofford with the Prince George's County Police Department said.

The Prince George's County Police Department has been tweeting the number of car break-ins daily to raise awareness about the issue.