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High school students who don't feel like walking to school in the cold are causing a spike in car thefts on the north side of Milwaukee, police said Wednesday.

In the past week or so, District 7 police have seen a 43% increase in car thefts, up from about 25 a week, and many of them are by students who spotted unattended cars that their owners had left to warm up with the key in the ignition.

"What we see probably more than anything, generally around this time of year, is around high schools," said Shellee Lubus, a police officer in District 7. "Kids that have to walk to school, they'll walk through the alleys. They'll find somebody that's got their car running left unattended. It's just a quick, easy way to get to school. They'll leave the car within a block or two of school."

In all seven of the city's districts, car thefts increased 58% from 168 in the three weeks that started Nov. 22, 2011, to 266 in the approximately three-week period from Dec. 11 through Jan. 3, 2012, according to Milwaukee police statistics.

The recent thefts often occurred between 7 and 8 a.m., or in the afternoon while a driver stops by a coffee store or pizza place, Lubus said.

"Really, the main reason it's gone up that dramatically is that people are being lazy," she said. "They're taking a chance it's not going to happen to them. And lo and behold, even within a few minutes, they're going to come out and they're going to find out their car is gone."

On the south side of Milwaukee, late-model Toyota Camrys and Honda Civics are the most popular to steal. But on the north side, the thieves usually prefer late-model minivans because they're easy to steal and because several friends can fit into the car and drive around until the car runs out of gasoline or hits something, Lubus said.

"A lot of people think kids will steal . . . the Pontiac Firebirds, the Chevy Camaros or something a little sporty," she said. "But nine times out of 10, it's our Plymouth Voyagers, our Dodge Caravans, and it's the Town and Countrys. If you're driving any kind of late-model minivan like that, you need to put the club on your car. It's the cheapest thing you can do that'll save your car."

How to stop thieves

Lubus recommended anti-theft devices, a cheap alarm system or a $100 remote-start system for those who prefer to let their car warm up. Some electronic tracking devices use a hidden transmitter to allow police to track the vehicle.

Some of the car thefts on the north side have centered on the area of N. Sherman Blvd. and W. Congress St., W. Appleton Ave. and W. Capitol Drive, and other main thoroughfares, she said.

Many cars are later recovered, out of gasoline, abandoned in someone's garage or on the street. Lubus said thieves often face few repercussions for what they did.

Lubus pointed out that leaving a car running unattended with a key in the ignition is a municipal violation that also could cost the driver a $22 ticket.

"If you need your car for transportation, to get to work, to get your kids to school, why take that chance?" she said. "If we can see it as officers when we drive around, then obviously, the thieves can, too."

Auto theft is covered under the comprehensive section of an auto insurance policy, according to the Insurance Information Institute.

Nationwide, car thefts have steadily declined from 1.1 million stolen vehicles in 2007 to 737,000 in 2010, according to the Federal Bureau of Investigation's Uniform Crime Reports. The odds of having your car stolen are highest in urban areas, according to the Federal Highway Administration.

Car theft data

According to the Milwaukee Police Department, from Nov. 22 to Dec. 12, 2011, 168 vehicle thefts were reported in the city. From Dec. 11, 2011, to Jan. 3, 2012, 266 were reported.

Hot wheels

The most popular stolen cars in Wisconsin in 2010, according to the National Insurance Crime Bureau, were:

2000 Dodge Caravan

1994 Honda Accord

1995 Honda Civic

1999 Dodge Intrepid

1994 Plymouth Voyager

1994 Chevrolet full-size pickup

1997 Ford Taurus

1994 Oldsmobile Cutlass/Supreme/Ciera

1998 Pontiac Grand Prix

1995 Toyota Camry