Uptick in Lake County car thefts

The Lake County sheriff's office says there has been an increase in thefts of motor vehicles, according to a news release. Since January, sheriff's deputies have responded to reports of 16 thefts, most occurring in the northeast quadrant of the county. Most of the thefts involve running and unoccupied vehicles being warmed up, the release stated. The sheriff's office offered several tips to avoid being the victim of a vehicle theft: Don't leave your vehicle running and unoccupied; remove all spare key fobs from your vehicle; if parking your car outdoors, utilize exterior lighting; consider exterior cameras.