April 7, 2008
Gary Davidson
Public Information Officer

DEPUTIES ANNOUNCE CRACKDOWN ON UNATTENDED VEHICLES 

It was a couple of months ago when a 20-year-old DeLand woman drove to her mechanic on South Woodland Boulevard to drop off some vehicle parts. She would just be there for a minute, the woman reasoned, so she left her keys in the ignition of her 2001 Ford Taurus with the engine running.  That brief stop-over was all the time the thief needed. As it turned out, the woman not only lost her car. She also violated Florida’s law against leaving a motor vehicle unattended with the engine running. 

Combating a rise in vehicle thefts and car burglaries, the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office on Monday announced a crackdown on motorists who leave an unattended vehicle with the keys in the ignition. “Leaving a car running is like an invitation to a thief,” said Sheriff Ben Johnson in announcing the crackdown. “Our deputies are doing everything possible to stop preventable crimes, but we need the public’s help. A little bit of crime prevention and personal safety go a long way towards deterring thieves. Turning off the engine and removing the keys not only helps prevent thefts, but it’s the law.” 

When it comes to enforcing traffic laws, deputies are authorized to exercise discretion. And that means violations sometimes result in warnings rather than tickets. But with the rise in vehicle thefts -- there were 605 vehicle thefts reported in the Sheriff’s Office’s jurisdiction during calendar year 2007 -- deputies have been instructed to be vigilant in watching for unattended vehicles with the keys in the ignition and issue traffic citations when they spot a violator. Particular emphasis will be placed on convenience store and gas station parking lots, where motorists are known to dash into a store and leave their engine running. Violators of the statute (316.1975) are subject to a $78.50 fine. “This campaign is all about preventing crime, not writing a bunch of tickets,” said Sheriff Johnson. “As with all laws, our goal is to obtain voluntary compliance. However, if it takes a ticket to get people’s attention and help prevent a theft, then that’s what we’re going to do.”