As cold weather falls upon us, drivers have been warned about leaving their vehicle engines running while they de-frost. Police in Calderdale in West Yorkshire spoke after an incident on Monday morning, November 5 in the Broadway area of Southowram where a Mercedes SLK-Class was stolen from outside a house.
Sgt Warren Pitman, of Halifax Central Neighbourhood Policing Team, urged motorists not to leave car keys in the ignition when leaving their vehicle, even if it is for a short period of time.
“On this particular occasion, the owner of the vehicle had started his car and gone back into the house for only a short time. When he returned, he found that it had been stolen,” said Sgt Pitman.
“It can be tempting to leave the engine running while you stay warm in your house and wait for your car to defrost, but I would urge people to keep security at the forefront of their mind.”
Simple actions like parking your car in your garage if you have one and keeping valuables hidden, as well as making sure your car is locked when unattended can all help prevent you from becoming a victim of car crime.
Sgt Pitman added: “People can become preoccupied in a morning, particularly when they are in a rush for work, but it can take just seconds for someone to steal valuable items from your vehicle or even jump in your vehicle and drive away.
“People should also consider the consequences it may have on their insurance claims as companies may not pay out if you have left your vehicle in this way.”
