Only A Minute….

Only A Minute….

I was inside for only a minute……
I was only gone a minute…..
I turned my back for only a minute…..
These are just a few of the excuses people use when they become victims of crime.

Valuables left in a vehicle gone in less than a minute.
Houses burglarized when homeowners didn’t set their alarms because they were gone for only a few minutes.
A small child is struck by a car, kidnapped or drowns in a backyard pool because parents turn their backs for only a minute.

All tragic examples that could be avoided. People just don’t realize what could happen in 60 seconds or less. And a lot of times the aftermath affects many more people. Here’s an example from a recent call:

On a cold foggy morning I hear a call come out over the radio:

“All units, be on the lookout for a stolen 2003 Silver Mercedes SUV, taken from in front of the victim’s residence. Victim’s purse is also on the front seat. Occurred within the last 5 minutes”.

I mumble to myself “keys were probably left in the vehicle” just as dispatch adds that the vehicle was left running with the keys in the ignition. I go to the victim’s house to have her sign a stolen vehicle report and find out that she left the vehicle running “for only a minute”. The owner started her car and left it running in the driveway to warm up while she ran inside for something. She got her car back later but it wasn’t in the same condition she last saw it. After the car thief thought a police car was following him, he drove through red lights and on the wrong side of the roadway hitting two other vehicles before the Mercedes became disabled due to severe damage. The car thief fled on foot and was later caught, but the consequences affected a lot of people:

The owner of the car is now out a totaled Mercedes SUV.
Two people have to be transported to the hospital in an ambulance after the suspect struck their vehicle. Their 6-year-old son is traumatized by the accident.
Another person’s vehicle is totaled after the suspect struck his parked car, pushing it up onto the sidewalk.
Police are put in danger chasing down and capturing the suspect.
Now we all pay to keep the car thief in jail while he is prosecuted.

All this because the car owner left her vehicle running unattended for “only a minute”. Our book should have been titled “Only a Minute”. That’s the excuse we hear all the time. I was gone “only a minute”, I looked away for “only a minute”,
I didn’t think it would happen to me in “less than a minute”. People can become victims of crime in seconds, not just minutes. A lot can happen in a minute.

This time of year cars are regularly stolen as they are left running to warm up. People start their cars and go back inside to grab a cup of coffee while their car warms up. Or they drive to the local 7-11 and leave the car running while they run inside for a cup of coffee, newspaper, etc. Away from their car for “only a minute”. A lot of the time they don’t find a warm toasty car when they come out, they find an empty driveway or parking space. Car thieves actually drive through neighborhoods looking for the telltale sign of steam coming from the exhaust of unattended cars. They drop off a passenger to steal the car and they are gone in seconds. Kids walking to school pass by an empty running car. Why walk miles to school when someone was nice enough to leave a car running for them. And a purse or wallet left on the seat along with a cool laptop. A house key too! Have to come back later when the owners are away.

Most of the time a car thief steals a car just to get from point A to point B, leaving the car pretty much intact minus any valuables that might have been inside.
Other thieves steal cars to commit a crime or to flee a crime they just committed. Some thieves steal a car to strip it of nice wheels, stereo, etc. Leaving your car running can have other devastating results. If it’s stolen, you not only have the inconvenience of losing your car and personal belongings, you may be the reason for someone’s injury or death! If your car is stolen, it goes into a nationwide law enforcement database. If a police officer stops a stolen car before it’s reported stolen, the officer can be shot or injured, unaware that the vehicle was stolen maybe moments earlier. Car thieves usually flee if a police officer tries to stop them. If a chase ensues and a crash occurs (which often happens), innocent people can be injured or killed. All because someone left their car running to warm up.

Nobody likes getting into a cold car with the windows fogged up. But by taking a chance of leaving it running unattended, you may not have a car to get back into. A few cold morning car tips:

Sit in your car and listen to the radio or read the paper while your car warms up.
If the windshield isn’t too fogged up, drive slowly down the road. The car will warm up much faster driving than sitting at an idle. If the windshield is fogged up or iced up, pour water on it or use a hose to clear it.
If you absolutely have to warm your car up in the morning, at least have a spare key so you can lock the running car. (not recommended, a thief can break a window and still steal the car).
Some after market devices let you start your car by a remote control to let it warm up. If someone tries to steal it, the motor dies when the car is put in gear.
Don’t leave your car running at a convenience store. Even though you may still be able to see your car, you’ll only be able to see it drive away if someone decides to steal it.
Don’t leave valuables in your car, it only make stealing your car more tempting to thieves.
If your car is stolen, report it immediately. Don’t wait until you get to work. The safety of Police Officers depends on you reporting the car stolen immediately.

Please follow these NetCops tips to help keep yourself and your property safe!