MACON, Ga. — A Macon mom started her day planning to take her son to daycare when she learned her car was stolen. Luckily, she and her 10-month-old weren't in the car when it happened, but her experience is part of a growing trend.
According to statistics from the FBI, car thefts are on the rise in Macon-Bibb County.
"I was walking outside to take him to daycare and I walked out and stood right here and I looked both ways and realized by car was not there," said Lauren Boyd.
Boyd, a student and full-time working mom, was devastated after realizing her car was stolen.
"My heart was beating really fast and I thought I was having a heart attack. It was so scary. It took me about three minutes to realize it was gone," she said.
Between work, school and a son who has to attend daycare everyday, Boyd has a full plate... and a new dilemma.
"Now, not only am I moving to a new house, but I also have to probably look for a new car," said Boyd.
In 2014, motor vehicle thefts hit 686 thefts. There was a dip in 2019, but it rose again in 2020 with 697 thefts, according to the FBI Crime Data Explorer.
According to Carfax.com, thefts are on the rise for a variety of reasons from an already low supply of cars to the hefty price tags of car parts.
Boyd is tracking her stolen 2021 Toyota Corolla through a phone app. Unfortunately, she can't see where it is, but she can see the new mileage and how little fuel it has now.
"They have no gas in it at the moment," said Boyd. "When they stole the car, it had around 23,870 [miles] and now it's 24,285."
Boyd had her car for over a year. The Bibb County Sheriff's Office has some tips so you can keep your car safe.
- Always keep your vehicle locked when you're not driving it.
- When parked, never leave your keys in the car. Close all the windows and the sunroof.
- Never leave your car running when making a quick stop somewhere. It takes only a few seconds to drive off with it.
- Don’t leave anything valuable in your vehicle. If unavoidable, keep the valuables out of sight.
- Don’t leave documents like titles in your car. They will make things easier for the thief.
- Pick safe routes to your destinations and avoid high-crime areas.
- Have an alarm installed. Consider one that kills the ignition during a theft attempt. If you have access to a satellite service, your vehicle can be tracked and recovered. Consider an aftermarket GPS tracker.
- Park your car in well lit, visible areas. Thieves prefer to work in dark places out of the sight of potential witnesses.
- Check your surroundings when parking your car. Report suspicious persons loitering in parking lots; especially if they are looking in car window or trying door handles.
- VIN numbers can be etched on windows to make identification and recovery easier.
- If confronted by a carjacker, give up the vehicle and get away. Do everything possible to avoid leaving the scene with the thief. Consider throwing the keys/your purse/wallet etc. in one direction and running toward people or a business for help.