The Stark County Sheriff’s Office is warning area residents to lock up their vehicles after an uptick in stolen vehicles throughout the county.
Sheriff George Maier said his department has received reports of 37 stolen vehicles in the last 30 days.
“You might be just running in to get a coke, or whatever the case may be, you need to pull your keys out and lock your car,” he said. “People are stealing these cars, and we’re making ourselves easy targets because we’re leaving our cars running and leaving our keys in.”
In addition to the 37 stolen vehicles, Sheriff Maier also noted that 12 ATVs have been stolen.
The latest stolen vehicle reported in the Sheriff’s Office’s jurisdiction was allegedly stolen by a teenager who then crashed it into a police cruiser.
“These are folks who are seeking drug money. They’ll take your car and use it to go and get drugs,” added Sheriff Maier. “Take an extra step. Lock your cars and take your keys.
Sheriff Maier said they have recovered a lot of the stolen vehicles throughout the county.