Police have taken to social media to remind early morning commuters not to leave their vehicles unattended while defrosting the windows.
With the freezing weather setting in, those early morning frozen windscreens can take a while to clear and some of us may consider using that time to get other things done.
The force is now reminding drivers of the risk of car theft when leaving the keys in the car while you attend to other things in your home.
A spokesperson for Greater Manchester Police said: 'Please leave extra time to defrost your vehicles but please don't leave it unattended, we've already had a number of vehicles stolen after drivers have left the engine running while it is left to defrost.'
Helpful guidelines on defrosting vehicles early morning comes from the Police Crime Prevention Advice team, who say:
Don't give criminals an easy ride.
Always remain with your vehicle when defrosting the windows.
Never leave your engine running and vehicle unattended.
'During the cold weather, motorists are advised to make sure their car is fully defrosted before starting any journey. However, motorists should never leave their vehicle unattended with the engine running to warm it up or defrost the windows.
'Thieves can target residential areas on cold and frosty mornings looking for cars where the owner has started the engine to defrost the windows and then returned inside, leaving the car unattended,' they added.
Highlighting a very important factor, which many may not know, they said: 'Motorists should also be aware that some motor insurance policies become invalid if a vehicle is stolen because of keys being left in the ignition.'
Things to remember:
If you have a garage, always put the car away at night. This not only keeps the car frost-free but also out of sight of would be car thieves.
Always remove keys from the ignition, even if you are just leaving your car for a few moments. It only takes a thief a few seconds to jump in and drive away.
Cover your windscreen the night before a frost is forecast. This will make it easier to clear the windscreen in the morning.
Make sure you allow yourself more time for your journey, Frost on cars also means the roads could be icy and make driving more difficult.
Image credit: Pixabay
