16 Vehicle Thefts Reported In Lake County: Sheriff's Office

The Lake County Sheriff's Office reports an increase in vehicle thefts, alerting community members that since January, deputies have responded to 16 motor vehicle theft reports, with the most taking place in the northeast part of Lake County. The sheriff's office said most of the thefts involve vehicles left running and unoccupied while warming up.

The Lake County Sheriff’s Office offers community members the following tips to avoid being the victim of a vehicle theft:

• Never leave your vehicle running and unoccupied: Vehicle thieves survey the area, looking for unoccupied running cars in driveways or parking lots.
• Remove all spare key fobs from your vehicle: With the fob left inside your vehicle, all a thief has to do is push the brake and ignition button.
• If parking your car outside, use exterior lighting: Lighting and motion-detected lights can deter thieves from coming onto your property.
• Consider having exterior cameras: These are extremely beneficial to helping identify offenders.

More: Lock Your Cars: Palatine Police Investigating Vehicle Burglaries

More information and updates: Lake County Sheriff's Office