NKSO prompts residents to secure vehicles

New Kent Sheriff’s Office is advising citizens to be cautious when starting vehicles on cold days.

Sheriff personnel say this time of year tends to produce increases in thefts of items from vehicles and vehicles themselves. Thieves will target cars that are running unattended as windows defrost.

Citizens are advised to lock doors if you start the car to defrost windows. If you use a remote starter, make sure the doors are locked before activating it. The sheriff’s office is also saying locking your doors while your car is parked is a good idea to prevent thefts and ensure that a child doesn’t enter the car and mistakenly place the vehicle in gear. Another recommendation is scraping windows ahead of time before defrosting to speed up the process.

No matter the method, New Kent Sheriff’s Office is advising all people to be careful, cautious, safe, and well-prepared during this time of year.