450 Hondas stolen since January 1

Posted: August 12, 2103 — The Salt Lake City Police Department encourages owners of older Hondas to take precautions due to the large number of such vehicles stolen since the first of the year.

With the theft and recovery of more than 450 Hondas since January 1, SLCPD urges owners of 1990-2000 model-year Hondas to take extra security measures.

“Many of these vehicles are simply taken for transportation because someone has figured out a way to alter keys,” said Sergeant Stefhan Bennett, who commands the Auto Theft Unit.

“Since the vehicles are not stripped, just dumped, we figure they’re taking them because they can. While it may be a small inconvenience, we suggest using a steering wheel locking device, which oftentimes deters a car thief.”

Since January, the Auto Theft Unit has also recovered 125 Hondas within the city that were stolen from surrounding jurisdictions, Bennett noted.

Regardless of make or model, SLCPD encourages vehicle owners to take preventive measures to deter car thieves, including the following measures:

• do not leave your keys in your car
• do not leave your vehicle unattended while it’s running
• remove valuables or store them out of sight
• roll up the windows and lock the doors
• park in well-lighted areas
• use an anti-theft device or car alarm

For more tips about protecting your car from theft, please visit the SLCPD Auto Theft Unit webpage at https://police.slc.gov/autotheftunit/

Contact: Reporters seeking comment should contact the Public Information Officer at 801.799.NEWS (6397).

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