Don't give thieves an easy ride: Remove the keys

From The Apopka Police Department

The Apopka Police Department would like to remind the citizens of Apopka to remove the keys from their motor vehicles when not in use. This year, the Apopka Police Department has received reports of “GRAND THEFT OF A MOTOR VEHICLE”, including those where the keys were left inside the vehicle, and several were due to the driver of the vehicle leaving the motor vehicle running while inside a convenience store or home. Please be mindful of our advice when leaving your vehicle unattended. Protect your vehicle. Don't give thieves an easy ride!

Also, most drivers do not think that there is anything wrong with leaving their cars running while unattended. In some cases, they do it to warm up their vehicles in cold weather, while others leave their cars running in order to go into to a store or into a coffee shop for a short while. However, everyone should know that in Florida, it is illegal to leave a running motor vehicle unattended.

Florida Statute 316.1975 is defined as:

A person driving or that owns any kind of motor vehicle cannot leave it unattended before performing the following actions: "Stop the engine, lock the ignition and remove the key." In case the engine has not been stopped, the vehicle cannot remain unattended for any length of time. Even if the driver leaves his or her car only for a few minutes, it doesn't matter. The violation of this section of Florida's State Statute is a noncriminal traffic violation that can result in a fine of up to $114.