7 Out of 11 Vehicles Just Stolen in Minnesota Had One Fatal Thing In Common

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This Minnesota police department sent an alert about what some residents are doing that makes it way too easy for thieves to steal their vehicles.

While violent crimes have been increasing not only here in Minnesota but across the country over the last few years, vehicle thefts are increasing as well, and the Minneapolis Police Department (MPD) sent an alert earlier this year about what some of its residents did that made their vehicles sitting ducks for car thieves.

According to CBS Minnesota, MPD said 700 cars were stolen in Minnesota's biggest city this January alone and-- here's the kicker-- many of them were left running unattended, unlocked, with the keys or a key fob still inside.

And they were stolen?!? You don't say!

We'd all like to think, living here in Minnesota, that we can just go out and start our cars to let them warm up during the winter or cool down during the summer and have them still be there when we come back a few minutes later, right?

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Well, sadly, police say, that's just almost literally inviting a car thief to jump in your car and drive away these days. I mean, heck, they don't even have to break in... those vehicles were just sitting there, unlocked, already running!

And, while not being the best thing to do, technically, it's against the law too. That's right, according to state law here in the Land of 10,000 Lakes, it's actually illegal to warm up or cool down your car if you leave it running unattended.

Of course, vehicle thefts-- particularly in the winter-- aren't new, either. Last year, the Saint Paul Police Department responded to a rash of 11 stolen cars in a single week-- and 7 of them were left running, unattended.

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Being able to leave our cars running while they warm up or cool down harkens back to a simpler time, doesn't it? Kind of like the time when you first started driving. And speaking of that, do you remember what gas cost when you first got your driver's license? Keep scrolling to find out!

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