Maple Grove Police Offer Tips for Staying Safe this Holiday Season
Car thefts and thefts from vehicles are up this holiday season. Maple Grove police say there have been 40 incidents this past month alone, which is higher than in December 2020.
“First off, don’t keep your car running. I know it’s cold in Minnesota and we want to keep our cars warm and running, but it makes it available for thieves,” said Jonathan Wetternach, Maple Grove police commander.
Wetternach says to use a remote, and if you have to run inside a building quickly, turn off your car.
“It’ll still be warm when you come back out if it’s a quick errand,” said Wetternach.
The second part to discouraging thieves is to keep any valuables out of sight in your car. Put items in your trunk.
“We don’t want to see purses laying in the front seat because all it takes is a criminal to break your window and to steal your purse and valuables,” said Wetternach.
If you do have something stolen out of your car, or you car is stolen, report it.
“Criminals will typically steal your credit cards within hours of stealing it and charge up lots of charges on those cards,” said Wetternach.
See also: Maple Grove Police Warn of Uptick in Home Burglaries, Thefts from Vehicles
