Chicago Car Thieves Target Dealerships Leaving Vehicles' Keys Inside, Police Say

Police in Chicago say dealerships leaving keys in unattended vehicles has contributed to the widely-reported spate of car thefts across the city.

This year, dozens of vehicles have been stolen from various Chicago dealerships, and Sgt. Keith Blaire from the Chicago Police Department’s major auto theft unit says it is a big problem.

“The biggest key with the vehicle thefts currently is having keys accessible. At dealerships, what they're doing is they're burglarizing the dealership, they're entering, finding cars with keys in them and exiting the property with the vehicles they can get easiest with keys,” Blaire said at a City Council Public Safety Committee hearing.

The Chicago Tribune reports that many of the stolen vehicles are then used in crimes across the city, including “armed robberies, shootings [and] homicides.”

Following these findings, the City Council is considering requirements to ensure both dealerships and rental companies lock up car keys before closing each night.