To catch a thief ...

Those weren't parking tickets or pizza promotions that drivers found under their windshield wipers Tuesday at the Wal-Mart in Linda.

They were friendly reminders from the Yuba County Sheriff's Department: Don't make your car a target of crime by leaving doors unlocked, windows down or valuable items clearly visible inside.

It was the second time this month that deputies, aided by senior volunteers from the Sheriff's Department, put the message out, said Crime Prevention Officer Shawn Garcia.

The program, called "If I Were a Thief," is modeled after a similar one in Contra Costa County, she said.

"If I were a thief ... you would now be a victim," said the fliers. Included was a checklist of valuables spotted inside the car. If there were none, a "Good job" box was checked.

If doors were unlocked or windows were left partly down — as a reporter's were — that was also noted.

Reactions varied.

Linda Green of Olivehurst, who scored a "good job," thought the program was a good idea.

"I put my stuff in the trunk," said Green. Another driver, accompanied by two children and looking harried, snatched the slip of paper off her windshield without looking at it. She didn't give her name.

"I throw away junk I find under my windshield wipers," she said, but added she didn't mind if deputies looked inside her van.

Overall, the reaction has been good, said Garcia.

The list of items a thief might bust a window for goes on and on, and it's not just CDs and cell phones: keys, mail or documents with IDs and addresses, garage door openers, clothes, shoes.

A thief might see a $5 cell phone charger and break in for it, leaving the car owner with a $250 repair bill, Garcia said.

This may be the age of CD and MP3 players, but that didn't stop one burglar from breaking into a car recently for a cassette player, said Garcia.

The "If I Were a Thief" effort was held at Wal-Mart because it's a good place to get the word out, not because the risk of car burglaries is greater there than anywhere else, she said.

Contact Appeal reporter Rob Young at 749-4710 or ryoung@ appealdemocrat.com