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In case you need a reminder to lock your car doors, here it is. The Grand Junction Police Department recently took 11 calls reporting stolen vehicles in a period of just one week.

According to a post on their official Facebook page, the Grand Junction Police Department received all 11 calls during the week of November 15 to November 21. That's a Saturday to a Sunday.

The post states these increased numbers are not unique to just the GJPD. Other law enforcement agencies in the Grand Valley are witnessing a similar trend.

As you might expect, in some cases. the vehicles reported stolen had been left running unattended in the victim's driveway. In other cases, keys were left inside the car and were easily accessible to thieves.

Via their Facebook post the GJPD reminds you, "Don’t make it easy for them, thieves are often looking for 'crimes of opportunity'!"

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reminds everyone there are a few simple things you can do to prevent the theft of a vehicle.

  • Take your keys inside
  • Lock your doors
  • Close your windows
  • Park in well lit areas
  • Don't leave valuables in your car
  • Don't leave the area while your vehicle is running

To date, there has been precisely one instance of a car being stolen from the lot at our station. In that instance, the keys had been left inside with the doors unlocked. The thieves, in this case, two, stole the car from the lot, took it to a secondary location where the valuables, including the stereo, were removed. From there the vehicle was taken to a third location and abandoned. Fortunately, all parties were apprehended and the vehicle and contents were recovered.

To my ear, the news of 11 cars reported stolen over the course of one week seems unimaginable for a community such as ours. Please keep in mind those 11 reports are those reported to the Grand Junction Police Department and don't reflect other stolen vehicle reports received by other agencies. Please keep your vehicle and its contents safe and secure.

2020 Downtown Grand Junction Car Show

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