Pasadena Police Warn of Increase in Thefts of Disabled Person Parking Placards From Vehicles

Pasadena police issued a warning Tuesday of a recent increase in thefts of disabled person parking placards from cars in the city.

The public was urged to remain aware as officials noted “a recent uptick” in the thefts of the placards, the Pasadena Police Department said in a written statement.

“Thieves often sell these placards illicitly on the streets,” the statement said.

We have seen a recent uptick in the theft of handicap placards from vehicles. Thieves
often sell these placards illicitly on the streets. Here are a few suggestions to help prevent you from becoming a victim@PasadenaGov pic.twitter.com/VHhU9bI3rZ

— Pasadena Police (@PasadenaPD) September 28, 2021

Thefts of the parking permits declined significantly in 2020, which police suspected had to do with pandemic stay-at-home orders, according to Lt. William Grisafe. There were 18 reported placard thefts in 2020, up from 43 in 2019.

Incidents remained relatively low until around May, when police again began noticing a trend upward, Grisafe said. Eleven placard thefts have been reported so far this year.

The thieves most often target cars parked on residential streets at night, the lieutenant said. In general, when the permits are stolen, the thieves only seem to be interested in the parking placard itself, sometimes leaving other valuables untouched.

To help avoid becoming a victim, Grisafe urged Pasadenans to keep the placards out of view when not in use, along with any other valuables that may catch the eye of opportunistic crooks.

Any placard thefts should be reported to local law enforcement immediately, police said.