5 vehicles left idling stolen from driveways in Richmond Hill, Vaughan: police

York regional police have issued another warning about “warm up thefts.”

Police say there’s been as many as five such vehicle thefts on Tuesday morning alone — three in Vaughan and two in Richmond Hill.

The areas hit were Chart Avenue, Matthew Drive and Wycliffe Avenue in Vaughan, and Avenue Road and Valleymede Drive in Richmond Hill.

Police tweeted the incidents throughout the morning.

 

 

 

 

Police warn motorists not to leave cars unlocked and unattended.

They also say Honda CRVs appear to be the most popular target.

Police also say that if you see suspicious people sitting in cars on your street to call police, as they “might be the thieves waiting to steal idling unattended cars.”

Back in December, York police warned that these so-called “warm up” thefts are on the rise.

In mid-November, a black Mercedes-Benz left running on a driveway was stolen from a driveway on Alaskan Summit Court, near Bovaird Drive East and Torbram Road, in Brampton.

Then in December, a mother who stopped for gas at Rexwood and Derry roads in Mississauga, left her keys, and baby, in the car, when a thief took off with the vehicle with her baby inside. The car was found a short distance away and the baby was uninjured.

In that same month, a stolen minivan was driven across a number of front yards and crashed into the front porch of a home on Twenty Second Street, near Lake Shore Boulevard West and Kipling Avenue, in Etobicoke. The driver started his car and then went back into the house to get his lunch.

Last week, Toronto police said they investigated several instances of vehicles allegedly stolen while they were left attended to warm up.

Below are some tips from Toronto police:

  • Remain with your vehicle whenever it is running
  • Lock the vehicle with a spare key while it idles and maintain a view of the vehicle
  • Buy a remote starter for the vehicle, which locks the doors and prevents the vehicle from being driven away without a key in the ignition

However, police also note that left vehicles idling are not good for the environment and wastes fuel. They say the best way is to start your car and let it run for 30 to 60 seconds before you start driving.

“Your engine will warm up faster, your exhaust system will get up to temperature faster, so the emission control systems can begin to function effectively,” police said in a release.

With files from Amber LeBlanc

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