ST. CLAIR SHORES, Mich. (WXYZ) — The St. Clair Shores Police Department says they are seeing a spike in criminals looking to get into cars that are warming up in the cold weather.
Police say this typically happens every year. When the temperatures go down, the number of cars getting stolen that may be warming up in driveways goes up. Police received multiple calls about prowlers on Thursday alone.
St. Clair Shores resident Katie Borowski says with a newer vehicle, she’s not too worried about keeping her car running.
"I got auto start, so it locks and if you try to open the door or try to drive it, it’ll just turn off," she said.
However, police say cars are still being stolen at an alarming rate all across the city, specifically in subdivisions.
Criminals are going car to car, looking for those that are running. If the car is locked, they’re not smashing windows; they just move on to another. However, if it’s unlocked and running, they get in and take off.
“It’s just people that want something for nothing and after we work hard for stuff, they just want to take it," St. Clair Shores resident David Kuhlne said.
Kuhlne says his family vehicle was broken into and ransacked a few years ago and now, they are more vigilant and hope the rest of the community is as well.
“We just started locking the car, and keeping the car in the garage helps too," Kuhlne's wife Jo said.
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Police say they are looking into multiple suspects and are actively investigating. If you see anything suspicious, call St. Clair Shores police at 586-445-5300.
