By Blake Haas

NORMAL – Car theft is rising in the twin cities, and a spokesperson for Normal Police says it’s partially due to keys being left in cars.

Speaking with WJBC’s Marc Strauss, Normal Police spokesperson Officer Brad Park said the department has been lucky enough to recover the recent thefts, but the public should be alert.

“We’ve had a few (car thefts) in the past few days. All of the situations involve the victims leaving their keys inside their vehicles. The vehicles are recovered a few blocks away from where they are taken from.”

Officer Park said as the summer turns to fall, now is an excellent time to remember to lock vehicles at night.

“Make sure all of your vehicles are locked up if you park on the street or on your driveway. And then also at night time, one thing we always try to press along to the public is to make sure your garage door is locked, turn on your outside lights and kinda secure up for the night every night.”

Officer Park added that hotwiring a car has become difficult for criminals looking to steal a vehicle with newer technology.

According to Park, the leading cause of vehicle theft is unlocked cars.

Blake Haas can be reached at [email protected].