The Chattanooga Police Auto Theft Unit has investigated over 165 reports of stolen vehicles since Jan. 1 of this year, but internal statistics have shown that over a third of those were completely preventable. The cars were either left running and unoccupied or were otherwise left unlocked with the keys inside, allowing opportunistic thieves to drive off at their leisure, officials said.
"Cold temperatures often entice people to start their cars in their driveways and let them warm up for a more comfortable drive to work. Any veteran police officer can tell you that this has been the go-to method for stealing a car with the keys inside for decades, but Chattanooga Police Investigators now say this is no longer the primary opportunity," officials said.
"Now more than ever drivers are stepping out of their running vehicles to go inside a convenience store for a cup of coffee and returning to find an empty parking space, or they are simply leaving them unlocked with the keys inside in private and public parking garages and in their driveways," said Investigator Ty Cooper. "If that unlocked vehicle in the driveway has an automatic garage door opener in it to allow them inside the victim's house as well, then that criminal just hit the jackpot."
"Nearly every vehicle made since the late 1990’s has an immobilizer system that prevents a car from starting unless the driver uses a key or a key fob that’s recognized by the computer network built into virtually all modern vehicles," said Lt. Craig Joel, Commander of CPD Auto Theft Unit. "In other words, cars are now harder to steal than at any other time in history, but despite this, 35 percent of all cars reported stolen in Chattanooga this year have been done so with the unwitting aid of their owners."
Lt. Joel also recalled one case last month, where a $60,000 Jaguar was stolen with the keys left inside. Officers located the vehicle and arrested the thief, only to have the same car stolen again for the same reason the very next week.
"Investigators ask that you take a few extra seconds to turn your car off, and put the keys in your pocket or purse – not the console. You’re not saving yourself any trouble if you find yourself stranded because you’ve made your car a target of opportunity for a passing criminal," officials said.
Here are a few more local statistics and some tips from the industry experts at the NICB (National Insurance Crime Bureau):
• Of 165 vehicles reported stolen in Chattanooga since Jan. 1, 57 of those (or 35 percent) were stolen as a result of the keys being left inside the unlocked vehicle.
• Of those 57 vehicles, 32 of them (or 56 percent) were stolen in the downtown North Shore area alone (the Stuart Heights, Rivermont, Hill City, Riverview Communities).
• Don’t leave your keys in the unlocked car, even if it’s where you think you’ll never be out of sight of the vehicle.
• Take a photo of your registration and keeping it on your phone, instead of keeping it and any other paperwork with your name and address in the vehicle.