Police warn against leaving car running - NEWS10 ABC: Albany, New York News, Weather, Sports

Police warn against leaving car running

ALBANY, N.Y. - As the cold weather approaches, The Albany Police Department is reminding drivers to "Take Your Keys With You!"

According to the National Insurance Crime Bureau, a motor vehicle is stolen in the U.S. every 26.4 seconds, leading to 1,192,809 motor vehicles being stolen last year. Many vehicles are stolen at locations such as convenience stores, gas stations, and ATM's. Many are stolen as a result of drivers leaving their vehicle running unattended or leaving the keys inside.

The Albany police would like to offer the following prevention tips in regards to stolen vehicles:

• Never leave your vehicle running unattended, even if it's only for a few minutes. This includes warming it up due to inclement weather.
• Always lock your vehicle. Almost half of vehicles stolen in the City of Albany were left unlocked.
• Don't hide a second set of keys in your vehicle.
• Park in attended lots or well lit areas.
• Invest in Anti-Theft devices such as a remote car starters, alarm systems, or ignition kill switches.

Leaving your car running unattended does not only put you at risk of having your vehicle stolen, it is also against the law. Those who leave their vehicle running unattended are subject to a traffic ticket.