In about 15 seconds, Mike Villegas shattered a car's window and walked away with a laptop under his arm.

The Palm Springs police detective was demonstrating how quickly a car thief can get away with valuables in a car if given the opportunity.

"Probably one of our number one property crimes is auto burglaries," Chief Gary Jeandron said at the demonstration outside City Hall on Thursday morning.

Last year, there were 868 auto burglaries in Palm Springs, and there have been more than 650 so far this year, according to the department.

The demonstration, put on by police and Allstate Insurance Co., was also a reminder about the effect of car burglaries and car thefts on insurance.

It raises the policy rates for all Californians by about $200 to $400 each year, Allstate spokeswoman Patti Kelly said.

"It's definitely a big problem that affects everyone in the community," she said.

Basic collision or liability insurance does not cover auto theft, Kelly said. Comprehensive coverage costs about $14 more a month on average.

Hide valuables or take them out of the car, police advised.

"It's a crime of opportunity," Jeandron said. "Make it difficult for a criminal to steal from you."

Link