MN Commerce Dept. Urges Drivers to ‘Take Your Keys ALWAYS’ in New Campaign

The Minnesota Department of Commerce’s Fraud Bureau has unveiled a new campaign to help prevent the rising number of auto thefts.

They’re calling it “Take Your Keys ALWAYS,” where Minnesotans are encouraged to take their keys with them when leaving a vehicle unattended.

Last year, more than 16,000 cars were stolen in the state, resulting in over $200 million in losses to victims. According to law enforcement, keys being left in cars by drivers account for most of the thefts.

The Department of Commerce is stressing the simple but important step of taking your keys with you to help reduce the likelihood of theft.

“It doesn’t take very long to steal a car. I think a lot of consumers are like, ‘maybe I’ll run in real quick’ or ‘I’m going to start the engine,’ like, in the winter, to get it to be warm or something, but it really doesn’t take long,” said Jacqueline Olson, Assistant Commissioner of Enforcement for the Minnesota Department of Commerce. “It’s a crime of opportunity, and especially if the keys are in the car, it’s running, it’s not gonna take someone very long to break in, so that also is a problem.”

Increased auto thefts also contribute to rising premiums for car insurance policies. More information on the department’s Take Your Keys ALWAYS program can be found on their website.