Hollister
– As the mercury drops this winter, the Hollister Police
Department is urging residents to help keep vehicle thefts from
rising due to unattended vehicles left running in driveways and on
streets.
Hollister – As the mercury drops this winter, the Hollister Police Department is urging residents to help keep vehicle thefts from rising due to unattended vehicles left running in driveways and on streets.
Vehicle theft is often a crime of opportunity, Hollister Police Chief Jeff Miller said, and theft numbers increase significantly during the winter. During the cold months of this year, the City of Hollister experienced one stolen vehicle every three days, according to police.
“Bundle up and take your coffee with you,” Miller said.
Since the beginning of December, seven vehicles have been reported stolen to the Hollister Police Department, according to police records, compared to eight reported in all of November.
Officer Rosie Betanio, spokeswoman for the Hollister Police Department, said the problem is not specific to one area of Hollister or model of vehicle. She added that half the vehicles stolen are due to drivers leaving the vehicle unlocked and unattended while warming up.
“If it’s easy access to the suspect, that’s what they’re going to take,” Betanio said.
Residents could significantly reduce vehicle theft if they stop leaving their vehicles running while inside their houses, Miller said. In fact, leaving a vehicle running may be a vehicle code violation, Miller added.
“If you park it on the street and go back inside your house with the engine running, you’re committing a violation,” Miller said.
The California Vehicle Code states that “No person driving, or in control of, or in charge of, a motor vehicle shall permit it to stand on any highway unattended without first effectively setting the brakes thereon and stopping the motor thereof.”
Drivers with the luxury of a garage may warm their vehicles with little fear of theft. But opening the garage door just enough to avoid carbon monoxide poisoning is a must, Miller said.
Michael Van Cassell covers public safety for the Free Lance. He can be reached at 831-637-5566 ext. 335, or mv*********@fr***********.com.
