With increasingly cold mornings, Morgan Hill Police officers are
seeing an increase in something tied directly to the weather, car
theft.
With increasingly cold mornings, Morgan Hill Police officers are seeing an increase in something tied directly to the weather, car theft.
The scenario is familiar, according to MHPD Sgt. Dave Swing.
“It’s an ice cold morning; as you look out your window you see your car windshield is completely iced over. You think, ‘Why not warm-up my car while I get my last cup of coffee for the road? I’ll only be gone for a minute,’ you rationalize,” Swing said.
But, although this may be a common practice, it is not a smart one, Swing said.
“Unbeknownst to you someone is out walking in the freezing cold weather,” he said. “Unfortunately, this person is not walking for exercise but looking for an easy opportunity to steal a car. This person is looking for exhaust pipes bellowing white smoke in the cold air. This person just found your car in that ‘minute’ you were inside and drove off with it while you filled your cup for the road.”
During a 12-month period from July 1, 2003, to June 30 of this year, the MHPD took 102 stolen vehicle reports. Of these vehicles, 44, or 43 percent, were stolen between November 2003 and February 2004.
Forty-six percent of all auto burglaries for the year occurred during these same four months.
“With the coming of the cold weather, we’ve already seen this happen several times recently,” MHPD Lt. Joe Sampson said Thursday.“
If people feel they must warm up their car in the morning before driving off, they need to stand outside with it. It is just too tempting, too easy an opportunity, when a criminal sees a car with the keys in it, unlocked. It can happen so quickly.”
As the weather turns cold this time of year, Swing said the police department wants to remind residents that most criminals are opportunists.
They see the car warming up, the Christmas presents left in the car, the cell phone, laptop, purse or wallet forgotten on the seat while the owner runs into the store.
“Once the criminal sees the opportunity they seize the moment and take less than a minute to break into the vehicle, grab their loot and take-off, usually undetected,” he said. “Make it more difficult for criminals to take your belongings by keeping them out of sight and not leaving your car unattended while you warm it up in the morning.”
