To help combat the ever-growing problem of car thefts in Nashville, police have a few tips for motorists.
Vehicle thefts remain a big problem in the Metro area. Just overnight, East Nashville residents were awoken when police had to send out their helicopter to search for suspected car thieves. They ditched the car on Trinity Lane, started running and still haven't been found.
In many cases, keys are left inside the car. Police urge drivers to “park smart” by locking the doors, securing valuables and removing the keys.
NewsChannel 5 reporter Dan Kennedy pulled three different affidavits of people arrested for allegedly stealing cars.
In one case, police tracked the stolen car using the victim's SiriusXM Radio. They found the car with the suspect still inside. While that might be rare, the issue of stolen cars is not.
We talk quite frequently about how crooks will steal cars and use them to commit other crimes.
Here’s a look at the latest numbers:
- Already more than 1,000 vehicles have been stolen this year in Metro Nashville -- that's a 10 percent increase over this time last year.
- In the central precinct, which covers downtown Nashville, auto thefts are down 30 percent. However, we're seeing the opposite in both North Nashville and Midtown, where there's been a more than 40 percent increase.
