Warming up cars comes with risk

Temperatures have plunged into the 30s for overnight lows this week, pushing many drivers to start their cars early for heat and defrosting.

However, auto theft and burglary from vehicles are crimes of opportunity and leaving a car running with the keys in the ignition is risky, said State Farm Insurance spokesman Kevin Gamble.

He said an average of 30,000 vehicles are stolen with the keys left inside each year in the United States.

“All it takes is a moment of feeling a little too comfortable or complacent with where your vehicle is being left for that vehicle to be taken,” he said.

Gamble said most insurance policies cover the cash value of your vehicle at the time it’s stolen but he recommends people speak with their insurance agent to fully understand their policy.

Last October, 110 vehicle thefts and burglaries from vehicles were reported in Columbia, according to the LexisNexis Community Crime Map. It was the highest number in a month between September 2017 and August 2018.