Thieves taking advantage of icy weather to steal cars

As the icy mornings continue across the county, South Yorkshire Police is urging motorists not to leave their vehicles with the engine running.

Vehicles are being reported stolen while left unsupervised, as drivers are warming their vehicles up in the cold weather before starting their journey.

Det Chief Insp Chris Singleton, the force’s lead on car crime, said: “It may be tempting to leave your car running to allow it to defrost before starting your journey but this makes the car vulnerable to being stolen, particularly as exhaust fumes coming from standing vehicles are more obvious in the cold weather.

“You don’t only run the risk of your vehicle being stolen but you may also lose the right to make an insurance claim because leaving the keys in the ignition could invalidate your insurance.

“Plan your journey and allow extra time to de-ice your vehicle without leaving it unattended.”

The Met Office is forecasting that the very cold conditions will ease slightly by the weekend. Latest forecast.