In the last month, 17 vehicles have been stolen throughout the city of Aurora, more than half of which were left running unattended.
It’s a crime which Aurora police see spike during the cold, winter months, and one that could likely be prevented, police said.
Last week, two Aurora boys were charged with stealing an unattended, running vehicle. Aurora Police Department spokesman Dan Ferrelli said the 2004 Saturn Vue was stolen around 1:30 a.m. on Nov. 26 from a driveway in the 1300 block of North Elmwood Drive.
The vehicle had been warming up when it was taken, he said.
Several hours later, around 4 a.m., an Aurora patrol officer spotted the vehicle traveling near Westpark Avenue and River Street.
According to Ferrelli, the officer attempted to stop the vehicle, but the driver sped away. The car eventually crashed into several concrete flower pots in a parking lot in the 300 block of North River Street.
Ferrelli said the 14-year-old driver and his 15-year-old passenger ran from the vehicle, but were located following a brief chase.
Both boys were taken to an Aurora hospital for treatment of minor injuries and charged with felony motor vehicle theft, police said.
Cold weather trend
Ferrelli said of the 17 vehicles that have been reported stolen since Nov. 8, nine were left unattended and running when the crimes occurred.
“This is typical,” Ferrelli said. “It’s something we experience every year around this time.”
As temperatures drop, residents can’t resist warming up their vehicles, but Ferrelli said it’s against the law to do so unattended. If soemone does, and the vehicle is stolen, there’s a good chance insurance won’t cover the loss, he said.
Not only are the stolen vehicles sometimes crashed or damaged, they are also often used in the commission of other crimes like drive-by shootings and robberies, he said.
“Earlier this week we had a running car stolen from the gas station while the owner went inside,” Ferrelli said. “When the weather gets cold, we really tend to see a spike in these types of crimes.”