Police are warning Lake County residents of a string of recent vehicle thefts in the area.
Since January, 16 vehicles have been reported stolen in Lake County, according to the Lake County sheriff’s office. Many of them were swiped from the northeastern portion of the county.
Most of the thefts happened when drivers were warming up vehicles they left running and unoccupied, the sheriff’s office said.
The sheriff’s office advised drivers not to do that. Additionally, drivers should remove all spare key fobs from their vehicles, utilize exterior lighting to deter potential thieves and consider installing exterior cameras to help identify possible suspects, the sheriff’s office said.