Tidemill Machen Community Association

TRYING TO KEEP YOUR CAR WARM MAY LEAVE YOU IN THE COLD

Dec 06, 2007

Trying to keep your car warm may leave you in the cold!

During winter months, several vehicles are stolen in the early morning as a result of owners leaving their vehicles running, unattended, in order to warm them up. Car thieves take advantage of residents who leave their cars running to keep them warm.

Thieves can easily detect a running vehicle in colder weather due to the exhaust.

Even if you lock the car, it only takes a thief seconds to break a window or jimmy a door lock. It is against City ordinance to leave your vehicle unattended with keys in the ignition and can result in a fine. Some insurance companies may even hold you accountable for the theft and cause you a financial burden. Trying to keep your car warm may leave you in the cold! Please help us to decrease car thefts as cooler weather approaches.

For years opportunist thieves have stolen cars from outside schools, shops, and gas stations. Now thieves are hanging around driveways or where there is on-street parking waiting for motorists to leave their engines running while they warm their car. When the owner goes back into the house to get warm, or grab a quick cup of coffee the thief drives away without anyone noticing.

Don't assume that the car is okay because there is someone further down the road scraping ice from a windshield, as most people are hidden by big coats and hats. It could be an opportunist thief, rather than your neighbor warming their car.

Hampton Police Division
Community Relations Unit
(757)727-6574