Las Cruces police warn leaving a car unattended while warming it up invites thieves

LAS CRUCES, New Mexico – Las Cruces police are reminding motorists who warm up their cars on cold mornings not to leave their vehicles running unattended.

Police say your car could be stolen within seconds.

With cooler morning temperatures, many drivers start their vehicles and leave them running for extended periods of time to defrost the windows or warm up the cabin.

Most vehicles only require a few seconds to warm up before driving. Many car owners also have the keys to their home, business and other vehicles on the keychain, meaning stolen keys can give a thief access to other areas of your life.

Some people leave their garage door openers in their vehicle, which if stolen can give the thief access to the garage and the house.

Here are some tips:

• Refrain from leaving vehicles running while unattended.
• Manually scrape ice or frost from the windows instead of relying on cabin heat.
• Don’t leave children or pets in a vehicle.
• Don’t leave a vehicle running unattended with children in it.
• Don’t leave your garage door opener in open view inside your vehicle.
• Remove or hide personal property like purses, bags and electronics.
• Close and lock windows and doors when leaving vehicles unattended.
• Immediately report any suspicious people or activity in your neighborhood.