GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – A proposed city ordinance to prohibit drivers from leaving their keys inside an unattended vehicle will get a second look at the committee level.
Green Bay’s City Council decided not to adopt the ordinance during Tuesday night’s meeting.
The ordinance would have required drivers to take the keys out of any car left on city streets, alleys, or other public places.
Green Bay Police Chief Andrew Smith said, “We’ve seen of the 108 vehicles that were stolen in Green Bay last year, 50 of them had vehicle keys inside the car. It made them very easy to steal.”
Chief Smith has been pushing for the ordinance to be passed.
“It’s a pretty big tax consequence for our officers because it takes hours for us to go out there, take a report, canvass the neighborhood, finally find the car, get it in the system, tow it. All these are taxpayers expenses.”
“I liken it someone leaving their wallet out on their front porch, or maybe a loaded firearm in their driveway,” Chief Smith said, “It’s a preventable crime. It’s something that kind of defies common sense.”
The ordinance proposed Tuesday night would have fined drivers found to be in violation. It did not target vehicles on private property.
Green Bay’s City Council decided to send the measure back to committee due to a high level of public input on the subject.
