Public Safety Message: Preventive Measures for Burglaries

RIVERTON — In a public safety message dated Jan. 7, 2026, Riverton Police Chief Shane Taylor urged residents to keep car and garage doors locked as winter approached, noting that vehicle and home burglaries have historically increased during that time of year 1.

Taylor said firearms, computers, cell phones and other valuables should not be stored in vehicles 1. He said thieves frequently check car doors until they find one unlocked, and that the most effective prevention is to keep car doors locked and valuables out of vehicles, whether during the day or at night 1.

The chief said the department had received numerous reports of firearms stolen from vehicles, and that vehicle burglaries frequently occur when valuable items are left in plain sight 1. Thieves may also gain access by smashing windows, he said, so items should not be left in a vehicle at any time of day 1.

Taylor advised against leaving garage remotes in a car, saying they give a thief easy access to a garage and therefore an entry point into the home, and asked residents to close and lock garage doors 1.

He said investigations have shown that camera systems at a residence or at a neighbor's often capture entry points to homes and vehicles, and described those home camera systems as essential tools for investigations 1.

The Riverton Police Department asked residents to report anything unusual to the VECC dispatch number at 801-840-4000 1.