Public Safety Alert, Recent thefts of motor vehicles left running to warm up

The Toronto Police Service has recently investigated several occurrences of motor vehicles stolen while they were left running to warm up. Drivers are reminded that when the temperature gets colder, criminals take this opportunity to seek out these motor vehicles to steal.

Here are some tips that may prevent you becoming a victim of warm-up vehicle theft:

- remain with your vehicle whenever it is running

- lock the vehicle with a spare key while it idles and maintain a view of the vehicle, keeping in mind that locked vehicles can easily be opened by criminals

- purchase a remote starter for the vehicle which locks the doors and prevents the vehicle from being driven away without a key in the ignition

Idling vehicles are bad for the environment and idling unnecessarily wastes fuel. The best way to warm your vehicle is to start your car, let it run for 30 to 60 seconds to get all the fluids moving, then drive off gently.

Your engine will warm up faster, your exhaust system will get up to temperature faster, so the emission control systems can begin to function effectively. Another bonus is you will use less fuel.


For more news, visit TPSnews.ca.