'Puffing' is an invitation for car thieves

Letting a car idle unattended is not only illegal in many states, but it is also correlated to vehicle thefts.

During 2019, 11% of total car thefts nationwide were attributed to keys being left inside of a vehicle, the NICB reported.  (Credit: Yinan Chen/Wiki Commons)

No one enjoys going for a cruise in a freeze cold car, leading many to warm up their vehicles during the winter months before heading off.

While letting the car run when you clear snow and ice from the windshield is a great way to pass the time while the engine gets up to temp, those leaving their rides unattended, or “puffing,” are not only breaking the law in some states, such as Colorado, they are also upping the chance of having their car stolen, according to the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB).

During 2019, 11% of total car thefts nationwide were attributed to keys being left inside of a vehicle, the NICB reported. While the bureau is still tabulating 2020′s theft-with-keys incidents, the total is likely to surpass 2019 levels. In fact, 2020 saw the most stolen vehicles out of any year in the past decade.

“Auto theft is a crime of opportunity, and warming up with your car can prevent it from being stolen,” Carole Walker, Rocky Mountain Insurance Association (RMIA) executive director, said in a release. “Leaving your car running unattended for just a few minutes seems harmless, but it can result in a ticket and the loss of your vehicle to thieves counting on your false sense of security.”

In addition to staying with the car, the use of remote starters is a safer and legal, alternative, according to the NICB, since they keep the car locked.

To help inform drivers of the increased chance of auto theft, NICB and RMIA suggest the following to lower the chance of having a car stolen:

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