Seasons Greetings: Car Left To Warm Up Stolen In Worcester

WORCESTER, MA — Each season brings new joys, traditions, and routines. In winter, New England drivers love a warm car seat and a clear, defrosted windshield in the morning.

But a quick seasonal reminder: cars left to warm up in the driveway — or left running with the heat blasting while you dash into Dunkin' Donuts — can be easy targets for car thieves. So-called "warm-up thefts" rise in colder months, police and consumer groups say.

The region saw its first documented warm-up theft this week. A Worcester woman left her car to warm up along Penn Avenue in the Union Hill neighborhood at around 9:30 a.m. Sunday. When she came back outside to get in, the car was gone.

Luckily, Worcester police were able to locate the car after about 10 minutes. Two men, Jesse Knight, 36, and Brian Horne, 37, both of Worcester, were caught in the stolen car along Harrison Street. Knight ditched the car and ran when he saw police. Horne tried to speed away, but was blocked by a police car. Both men were arrested on multiple charges, including larceny of a motor vehicle.

On the flip side, there are laws that prevent drivers from idling cars too long. In Massachusetts, drivers can idle a car for five minutes. Fines can range from $100 to $500 if you're caught idling excessively.

With all that in mind, remember that we're expecting record cold (and some snow) this week in Massachusetts. Seasons greetings.