Operation Hot Wheels

This week’s featured vehicle is a Grey 2001 Chevy Tahoe 4 door.  It was reported taken on February 1st from the 1400 block of SW Glendale in Topeka. The last four-digits of the VIN are 9092 and at the time it was stolen it possibly had the tag 658 CDW.  Anyone with information on the theft of this vehicle or any others is asked to call detectives at 368-9400.

The public can now sign up to receive Hot Wheels e-mail notifications at www.topeka.org/e-subscriptions/index.shtml by checking “Hot Wheels.” The public can also sign up to receive the Hot List, a listing of vehicles listed as stolen through the Topeka Police Department which updates several times a week.

Things you can do to help prevent auto theft:

·         Never leave your motor running when unattended. This is one of the easiest ways to lose your vehicle, i.e. warm-up thefts on cold mornings, a quick trip into the store, etc.

·         Don't loan your car to a stranger or casual acquaintance. Good intentions can result in the theft of your vehicle.

·         If you have a garage, use it, and remove the key! If you don't have a garage, park in a driveway instead of the street if possible.

·         Steering wheel or steering-column collar locks make visible deterrents, as well as mechanical challenges.

·         Never leave a spare key in the vehicle and don’t leave the title in the car.

·         Keep valuables out of sight, i.e. cellular phones, pagers, backpacks, purses, CDs, valuable clothing, etc. Valuables in plain view are an open invitation for thieves.