A reminder from Windsor Police not to leave your car running with the keys inside following two thefts this month involving vehicles left to warm up.
Windsor Police Constable Talya Natyshak says every year, when the colder weather arrives, they investigate several reports of stolen vehicles where the car was left running to get it warm.
Natyshak says they usually hear about how the owner just left it for a quick minute, calling it a crime of opportunity.
"If that would be criminal sees that, they may not have been out looking but they just found themselves a very easily accessible vehicle," she says.
Natyshak says people think that locking the car will keep it safe while it's warming up.
"These criminals don't care about the vehicle, it's not theirs," she says. "It might take them a couple of extra seconds to smash the window to get in the vehicle, but that's still an opportunity. So even with the vehicle locked, it's not a good idea."
Natyshak says stolen vehicles are extremely dangerous to public safety.
"They're often driven by unlicensed people. They're driven in a manner, they don't care about the vehicle because it's not theirs, they're going to be driving it differently than you would your own personal vehicle. They're also often used for the sole purpose of committing other crimes in our community," she adds.
On Jan. 24, a cargo van was stolen in the 3000 block of Devon Drive after it was left running to warm up. A 33-year-old suspect was arrested and charged a few days later.
On Jan. 15, a vehicle was stolen from the 2900 block of Dominion Boulevard in Windsor after being left to warm up with the keys in the ignition. A 51-year-old suspect was arrested several days later in that case.