Video Story
Watch VideoWinter car thefts
Story By: Nicole Vandeputte
Source: KOAA
In the cold the last thing we feel like doing is sitting inside our cold cars as they warm up. Be warned, don't leave your car unattended, because it may not be there when you come back outside. Thieves are looking for cars left running, without people around. If that's you, hopefully a flier will find you before a thief does.
You may not recognize Detective Chuck Ackerman, but if you live in north Colorado Springs, you may have found his trademark. He says, "Yesterday alone, I passed out 37 fliers. The only reason I didn't pass out more, I ran out of time."
On the coldest mornings, he'll get up before dawn, and look for cars that are warming up, with no one around. On those cars, he'll leave information on car thefts. He says, "We hit the top locations for steals, convenience stores, apartment complexes, and personal driveways."
Detective Ackerman is a good guy, but thieves use the same method. He says, "It's the #1 way of getting a car stolen, especially here in the Springs, is leaving your keys in your car."
Just this month, in North Colorado Springs, 13 cars have been stolen. Each one was taken while they were warming up. This coming week is the statewide "puffer" campaign. Law enforcement agencies across the state will be looking for cars left running unattended, and leave the pamphlets in them. It's against the law to leave the car running unattended. If you get a citation, it's $60.
