Broward County, FL – South Florida’s car thieves are having a field day, thanks to many luxury car owners leaving their vehicles unlocked with the keys inside [epic fail sound]. That’s right, criminals are practically waltzing into driveways and stealing these expensive cars because people are just making it way too easy.
Local news hero Bridget Matter got the scoop from Fort Lauderdale detectives on this bizarre trend. Apparently, it takes less than 30 seconds for a thief to snag a car if the doors are unlocked—less time than it takes to microwave a burrito. These luxury car owners are handing over the keys to anyone walking by.
And it’s not just happening in broad daylight. Many of these thefts happen under the cover of darkness, making it even more baffling to think about why someone would leave their car unlocked overnight.
Seriously, it’s that simple: Lock your car and take your keys out.
Sergeant Patrick O’Brien with Fort Lauderdale PD says his department is dealing with car thefts practically every day, and a huge chunk of them are luxury vehicles. We’re talking Mercedes, BMWs, Range Rovers, Audis – the whole high-end auto buffet.
Detectives say these crooks are targeting wealthy neighborhoods where people have a false sense of security. They’re looking for unlocked cars with keys inside, just waiting to be taken. Apparently, there are even tri-county theft rings operating, specifically targeting these easy pickings.
Here’s the thing: these stolen cars aren’t exactly disappearing into thin air. They’re being resold, often for a fraction of their actual value. Think fire sale prices on luxury cars! The problem is, these stolen rides often end up with temporary tags, which means trouble down the road for anyone who unknowingly buys one.
Home security footage shows exactly how these thefts are going down. In one video, a suspect casually walks up to an unlocked BMW SUV, hops in, and drives away like he owns the place. No hotwiring skills required!
And get this: detectives say they even had an $800,000 custom Rolls Royce stolen because the owner left the keys inside with the doors unlocked. Yikes!
The bottom line is that most of these thefts are crimes of opportunity. People are simply being careless. Not only are they losing their cars, but some are also losing valuables left inside like the poor lady who had her $400,000 purse swiped along with her Range Rover.
Fort Lauderdale PD is overwhelmed with these cases, and they say if people would just lock their doors, the theft numbers would plummet. Seriously, it’s that simple: Lock your car and take your keys out.
So, here’s your public service announcement, South Florida: don’t be a Floridiot! (in a bad way) Lock your fancy car and keep your valuables safe. It’s not rocket science, people!
