SALT LAKE CITY (ABC 4 News) - If you own a car and live in Salt Lake City you might want to keep a close eye on it. Police tell ABC 4 this summer car thefts are on the rise.
It's rare you actually see someone stealing your car, like in a YouTube video, but just because you don't see it, doesn't mean it’s not happening.
"In June we had 33 cars stolen in Salt Lake City," said Det. Dennis McGowan, Salt Lake City Police.
And police said that's more thefts than during the same time last year. In fact, crooks stealing cars have become so much of an issue on Monday, Salt Lake police put out a web video.
"As we see this things increase we want to take a moment and have a discussion," said Chief Chris Burbank, Salt Lake City Police Dept.
It’s to teach you how to prevent a thief from taking your car.
"They don't want to be seen by other people doing what they're doing," said McGowan.
So Thursday, ABC 4’s Brian Carlson talked with the Salt Lake Police Dept. to find out what you should do.
"It's always more prudent to park under a street lamp," said McGowan.
Cops said street lights scare crooks away.
"You can see the window is not rolled all the way up," he said.
As tempting as it may be to crack your window in the summer heat, McGowan warns - don't. It's an open invitation to a thief.
"Like a hanger, for example, they can bend the hanger, manipulate it, reach inside through the open area," McGowan.
"You can come down here, put down the hanger then pop the lock?” Carlson asked.
“Exactly, that's correct," said McGowan.
But the best advice- is think like a crook.
"They're basically lazy; they don't want to expend a lot of effort," McGowan said.
"So what they'll do is very quickly if it's locked they'll go around the other side, very quickly, check the handles, go to the next door," he said.
And if all the doors are locked, police claim most thieves move onto other cars.
So just to see, we checked a couple handles in a Salt Lake parking lot, and found a few very vulnerable cars.
To make sure yours isn't next, remember, locks, lights, and windows up.
