AURORA | The brutal cold snap that walloped the metro area early this month seems to have been too much for some motorists to tolerate.
According to Aurora police, the number of drivers who opted to start their cars then head indoors, leaving the car running and unattended, was way up early this month. A Dec. 10 Aurora police crackdown on “puffers” — those running and unattended vehicles — saw police contact more than 250 motorists for puffing.
Of those, police issued citations to 145 people for puffing and warnings to another 112. A ticket runs $85.
The numbers from Dec. 10 dwarf previous police puffer crackdowns, which typically netted only about 100 puffers on a given morning and sometimes far fewer.
Aurora police Sgt. Chris Amsler said officers didn’t expect to find that many vehicles when they launched the crackdown.
“We were surprised we issued that many,” he said. “We didn’t expect that many people. But of course it was so cold more people were doing it than usual.”
On that particular day, temperatures hovered in the teens during the morning rush hour.
APD does puffer crackdowns every winter, with officers from various units patrolling residential neighborhoods looking for vehicles that are running and unattended.
This year, in addition to the typical crackdown, Amsler used the police department’s social media accounts to engage residents about the practice, and why puffing is illegal.
“People seem to forget that this affects everyone,” he said. “When we have a lot of motor vehicle theft, everyone’s insurance premiums rise.”
Amsler said the social media campaign was also a way to answer some nagging questions about what is and isn’t illegal.
For example, even if you lock your doors and leave the car running and unattended, that’s still against the law. But if you have a remote start device that allows the car to idle without a key, but shuts down the engine if the driver tries to move the car without the key, you’re allowed to puff. Amsler said those devices are becoming more common.
Aurora police aren’t the only law enforcement agency in the state cracking down on running and unattended vehicles this winter. Several others, including the Colorado State Patrol, have campaigns aimed at ending the practice.
“It’s essential to educate Coloradans that auto theft frequently is the gateway to other, serious violent crimes like burglary, identity theft, drug crimes and even homicide,” Colorado State Patrol Chief Col. Scott Hernandez said in a statement announcing a statewide campaign. “The seemingly minor act of leaving your car running and unattended just opens the door—recent statistics show us crime now rarely stops with a stolen car, and encouraging citizens to do their part to help prevent auto theft is an important step in making Colorado safer.”
Amsler said the best advice for motorists is to just bundle up and endure a few bitter cold minutes in their car.
“A few minutes of being cold is not worth your car getting stolen,” he said.
If only the cops were as efficient at apprehending the bad guys as they are at locating the puffer’s owner. If only they were as responsive when the law abiding citizen calls for help. If only the cops were as intent on preventing crime as they are in fining puffer scofflaws. If the cops are only interteseted in preventing car theft why the fine for puffing? Oops no fine for an individual to puff only cars. If only the cops could prevent crime what a wonderful life we would have.
Merry Christmas to all.
“with officers from various units patrolling residential neighborhoods looking for vehicles that are running and unattended.”
How about we try looking for the folks who actually steal the cars rather than fine potential victims? I guess car thieves are not a good revenue source. The police need to harass law abiding citizens to generate enough revenue to pay for the palace of centralized government known as the Aurora Municipal Center.
Glad I don’t live in Aurora, CO.