According to Toledo police, auto theft is one of the easiest crimes of opportunity, especially when the keys are in the ignition and the engine already running.
"We get the reports all the time where they just ran in for a minute. They just had to run into the store," saysPaul Hickey, with the Toledo Police Auto Theft Unit.
As we all struggle to stay warm in these frigid temperatures, we start our cars early in the morning to warm them up and melt the snow & ice.
But police say that makes you much more likely to fall victim to a theft.
If you leave the car running for a quick trip into the store, remember it only takes seconds to hop in a drive off.
Also, car lock-outs are one of the top calls that come into AAA of Northwest, Ohio.
They say their call volume is way up during this time of year due to the cold weather, and folks starting their cars and closing a locked door.
They recommend that you have a spare key handy, and always double check that your doors are unlocked.
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