Crime & Safety
Cars Left to Warm Up Are Vulnerable to Thefts, 2 Stolen in Eagan
On Dec. 5 two cars were stolen when owners left them unattended in the cold weather. Police stress the city ordinace to prevent more.
Two vehicles were stolen after they had been turned on and left unattended on Dec. 5. According to the police report both had been left running for about 10 minutes when the drivers returned to find the vehicles missing.
The first, a Chevy Trailblazer, was taken from the 3300 block of Donald Avenue and the second, a Pontiac Grand Prix, was from the Woodridge Apartments in the 3200 block of Coachman Road. The Trailblazer was later found at the same apartment complex address where the Grand Prix was stolen.
Officer Danielle Anselment said she suspects the person who stole the Trailblazer was the same person who took the Grand Prix.
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Leaving vehicles unattended while the key is in the ignition is against the city ordinance in Eagan, Anselment said. However, this type of car theft is common this time of year, the officer said.
“We understand that people want to get into warm vehicles, but it’s against the ordinance,” she said.
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Parking lots, residential areas and daycare centers are all prime locations for this type of crime.
Anselment said using remote starters – where a key is not in the ignition – is OK.
In the most recent thefts no damage was done to the Trailblazer when it was found but the keys to the truck, house and workplace were all missing when the vehicle was returned to the owner. The Grand Prix is still missing.
Both cases are under investigation.
