The Bismarck Police Department is again reminding the public to lock their vehicles and remove the keys.
Last year there were 126 vehicles stolen in Bismarck. So far this year there have been 50 vehicles stolen, compared with 21 at this time last year.
Of the 50 stolen so far this year, 23 are unauthorized use, which generally means the person who took the vehicle is known to the victim and the vehicle was taken without permission or wasn’t returned on time.
Of the remaining 27 that were stolen, many of them had been left unlocked, and the keys had been left in almost all of them, either in the ignition, or somewhere else in the vehicle.
Most of the car thieves we see in this area are not professionals, and they very rarely, if ever, hot-wire a vehicle to steal it. Most vehicle thefts could be prevented by:
1. Always locking your vehicle;
2. Never leaving your keys in the ignition; and
3. Never leaving your keys anywhere they are accessible, like under the floor mat, above the visor or in the glove box.
If you see suspicious activity, like someone prowling through or attempting to enter parked vehicles, call 911 immediately. If you have information about who is committing these crimes, or any other crimes, please call Crime Stoppers at 224-TIPS (224-8477). Information is taken anonymously and you may be eligible for a cash reward if your information leads to an arrest.