Numerous vehicle thefts and stealing items from within vehicles have recently been reported throughout St. Mary's County. Sheriff Steve Hall urges drivers to be vigilant by locking your vehicles and never leave your vehicle running while unattended.
Per Maryland Traffic Article § 21-1101 (a), a person driving or otherwise in charge of a motor vehicle may not leave it unattended until the engine is stopped, the ignition locked, the key removed, and the brake effectively set. This does not apply to a motor vehicle that has had the engine started using a remote keyless ignition system and has been operating unattended for up to 5 consecutive minutes or a motor vehicle that is locked and is on private property not open to the public (such as the driveway of your residence), up to 5 consecutive minutes.
Keep your vehicle's doors locked at all times, especially overnight. Thieves have easy access to steal your property or your vehicle if they only have to open the door.
This month, the rash of recent vehicle burglaries and thefts have been a direct result of unlocked doors and several with spare keys left inside.
In addition, keep valuables out of plain view inside of a vehicle, or better yet, do not store any valuables in a vehicle.
When possible, keep your vehicle parked in a well-lit area with video camera surveillance.
Call the St. Mary's County Sheriff's Office at 301-475-8008 to report a vehicle theft or breaking and entering, or make a report online at https://www.firstsheriff.com/citizenreport/
