Triple-A: Summer months popular for auto theft

The hot summer months are usually the most popular when it comes to auto theft.

DPS statistics show, on average, a car is stolen every 25 seconds in Arizona, but that number is down from previous years.

“We’ve seen a decrease of 19 percent from 2009 to 2010, according to DPS,” said Michell Donati with Triple-A Arizona. “If you look at the National Insurance Crime Bureau’s hotspots report, Phoenix has dropped 16 spots from 2010 to number 60…However, this is a crime that happens all too often in Arizona.”

In an effort to reduce vehicle theft even further, Triple-A released the following list of prevention tips:

• Get your VIN etched

• Always lock your vehicle with the windows closed

• Never leave belongings out in the open

• Never leave your keys in your vehicle

• Keep your vehicle in secure, well-lit areas

• Use anti-theft or automatic tracking devices

• Remove spare keys from vehicle