The drop in temperatures can lead to an increase in stolen cars as people leave them unlocked and running. Sioux City Police Officer Valerie Rose says they had four cars stolen Thursday. She says it can happen any time of the day.

“It can happen in broad daylight. We see it a lot of times at gas stations, somebody will just run in real quick, and I get it. It’s cold here in Iowa, you know just a figure I’m just going to run into the store for a minute I’ll be right back out and leave your car running,” she says. “But it literally only takes seconds for somebody to see that opportunity because this is what this is is crimes of opportunity.” Officer Rose says you can avoid the temptation for thieves by not giving them something to steal.

“Please don’t leave anything valuable in your car because not only are we talking about preventing your vehicle from being stolen, but we also don’t want to see it get broken into and some of your valuables being taken,” Rose says.”So never leave anything valuable that you don’t want stolen in your car. You know anything from purses, you know, to money to guns.”

Rose says car thefts always increase this time of year because there are more vehicles left running and unattended.

(By Woody, Gottburg, KSCJ, Sioux City)

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