Don’t leave your car running while you shop in heat wave

MONROE, MI — A car was stolen from a Walgreens parking lot after the driver left it unlocked with the engine running.

On Tuesday, June 24, at 10:56 a.m., officers from the Monroe Public Safety Department were dispatched to the Walgreens located at 1285 North Monroe St. in response to a stolen vehicle report. The victim stated that she left her vehicle unlocked with the keys inside and engine running while she shopped in the store.

Officers gathered information and shared details with local law enforcement agencies. At 11:30 a.m., Monroe County Central Dispatch reported a hit from a Flock Camera on the stolen vehicle, indicating it was heading north away from Monroe. At 1:35 p.m., Central Dispatch received a call from the Taylor Police Department, which reported that they had located the stolen vehicle and detained the driver.

“In light of the recent heatwave, we understand that leaving the air conditioning on in your vehicle is a convenient way to stay cool on hot days,” said the Monroe Public Safety Department in a release. “However, leaving your vehicle unattended with the keys inside while it is running increases the risk of theft. This practice is strongly discouraged.”

— You can reach Connor Veenstra at cveenstra@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on The Monroe News: Police: Don’t leave your car running while you shop in heat wave

Reporting by Connor Veenstra, The Monroe News / The Monroe News

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