Warming up the car in the morning is a routine for many, but Department of Public Safety officials warn this activity is like posting a sign for criminals to come and take it.
According to the Department of Public Safety, ‘puffing’ a car signals any nearby thieves that the car is a target.
Lieutenant Bryan Witt, with DPS, said thieves are looking for those “puffing” vehicles in the morning. He said it’s like putting a spotlight on it.
“The little white puffs of smoke is exactly what they are looking for,” Witt said. “They are specifically driving up and down streets for this, and then all of a sudden you have a stolen car.”
However, even if they don’t take your car they can still take your belongings which can be a lot harder to track down, according to DPS.
“Vehicle thefts is one of the easiest way crooks can do, but a lot of the times we can catch them out on the roads once it is done,” Witt said. “It’s different with possessions, those can be very hard to find once stolen.”
Whether it’s a stolen purse, laptop, or the whole car, the Department of Public Safety said there is not much they can do until after it happens.
“We all have that mentality that it won’t happen to me, but you have to realize we are ranked one of the highest in the country for vehicle thefts,” Witt said. “It’s a lot better to be cold and have a car, than be cold and have it stolen.”
