OGDEN, Utah (AP) - Ogden police say a wave of preventable car thefts is prompting them to step up enforcement of Utah's anti-idling law.
Police Deputy Director John Harvey says car thefts are on the increase in part because of residents who go out to warm up their vehicles on cold mornings and leave them unattended.
According to the department, 36 of 82 thefts over the last 90 days involved cars that were left running and unattended. Another 34 thefts involved unlocked cars.
Harvey says while it's tempting to leave for work in a warm car, the risks are not worth leaving an unattended vehicle and "a cold car is better than no car."
State law prohibits drivers from leaving a vehicle unattended without stopping the engine and removing the keys from the ignition.