Detectives Arrest 15 Suspects Connected to Vehicle Warm-Up Thefts

In the past week, detectives with our Washington Area Vehicle Enforcement team arrested 15 people in connection with multiple vehicle warm-up thefts.

The suspects, both adult and juvenile, are linked to seven different cases. In addition to these arrests, the WAVE team also recovered 10 stolen cars – the vast majority were stolen when the owner left them running and unattended.

In the colder months, criminals are actively targeting vehicles left unattended in order to allow them to warm up. We recently released this video of a warm-up theft caught on a home surveillance system in Lewisdale.

“We know it’s cold outside and it’s not pleasant to get into a cold car - but unfortunately, thieves know this too. They are targeting victims who are warming up their cars and running back inside of their homes. Please never leave your vehicle running and unattended. We can’t stress that message enough,” said Acting Captain Jordan Swonger of our Special Investigation Division.

Anyone with information on any stolen vehicle case is asked to call 301-516-3788. Callers wishing to remain anonymous may call Crime Solvers at 1-866-411-TIPS (8477), or go online at www.pgcrimesolvers.com, or use the “P3 Tips” mobile app search “P3 Tips” in the Apple Store or Google Play to download the app onto your mobile device.