by: Mike Miller
2/27/2019

I know what you are thinking, how can that headline be true. Anyone who ever has lived in cold weather probably has an inkling as to what I am talking about. When the temperature drops cars need to warm up before being driven. Often people start their car and then go in and finish getting ready for work.

Leaving a car running while you are away is a bad idea. Four teens in Louisiana are going to spend some serious time in jail for taking advantage of this situation. As reported in www.wafb.com.

The four teenagers, including two juveniles, have been arrested for a rash of car thefts after six vehicles were stolen. It happened between December 16th and January 7th. They were using the cold weather to find easy targets.

Take it from personal experience, there is nothing worse than waking up on a cold morning, starting your engine to defrost the windshield, and thinking you are safe to go back inside of your warm home, only to return five or ten minutes later and discover your vehicle gone.

Two 17-year-old Gonzales residents, Christopher Heard and Deontre Joseph, were taken into custody along with two 16-year-old suspects whose names are being withheld because they are underage.

The teens targeted cars with keys left in them by the owners, unlocked cars, or vehicles left running to warm or windshields to defrost.

People need to be aware that this happens. The rule should be to never leave your keys in your vehicle or leave your vehicle unlocked. If you do, the chances of your car getting jacked increases exponentially.

These four teens have damaged their lives by their actions. Despite being underage this could remain part of their permanent record and affect them throughout their loves. I hope they are mandated to take a 24 hour anti-stealing class in addition to counseling for their aberrant behavior.