St. Pete Auto Thefts, Burglaries Rise Dramatically

Watch the video at the bottom of this post to see an auto theft in progress as police close in.

The St. Petersburg Police Department is warning residents to keep their doors locked and their eyes open as auto burglaries and thefts are on the rise.

It’s a trend that has seen a dramatic climb over the past two years, the agency reported Friday. In fact, the number of reported thefts and burglaries has climbed 62 percent over the past two years.

The agency notes that an estimated 97 percent of auto thefts are committed by juveniles. A total of 600 arrests for auto theft and burglary were made in St. Petersburg last year. In December 2014 alone, 74 arrests were made.

The department offers these tips for motorists who want to protect themselves and their vehicles:

• Keep car doors locked – about 95 percent of cases involved unlocked cars
• Remove valet keys from owner’s manuals
• Check auto tags frequently for tampering
• Remove extra keys or fobs from cars

Image via Shutterstock