As cold weather approaches, Maryland State Police are launching a campaign to warn drivers that an unoccupied vehicle with its engine running is an open invitation to car thieves who are prowling neighborhoods, convenience stores, and gas stations, looking for the easy steal.  

Troopers across Maryland will be working to educate drivers that leaving a vehicle running, or with the keys in it, are the quickest ways to have it stolen.  Leaving a vehicle unoccupied with the engine running is also illegal.  Violators fortunate enough to find their vehicle still there when they return, just might find a state trooper waiting to issue a citation that carries a fine of $70 and one point.  Maryland motor vehicle law states that before a person driving a motor vehicle may leave it unattended, he or she must stop the engine, lock the ignition, remove the key, and set the parking brake.  

Although Maryland law enforcement and citizens working together have driven down vehicle thefts to record lows in recent years, there were still more than 16,000 vehicles stolen in Maryland last year.  That works out to a motor vehicle theft occurring every 33 minutes.  More than 50 percent of the vehicles stolen were unlocked and more than 30 percent of the stolen vehicles had the keys inside them.  Investigators estimate that as many as 4,000 of those vehicles stolen were actually running at the time they were stolen.  

Car thieves are like anyone else.  They love to find ways to make their job easier.  State and local police know that as the weather turns colder, they will take more reports of vehicles stolen while they sat running in front of a house, a convenience store, or a gas station.  Owners always report they were just ‘warming up’ their car, or they were only in the convenience store for a few seconds.  

Police have scores of cases involving car thieves cruising neighborhoods early in the morning just looking for the telltale plume of exhaust from an unoccupied vehicle.  Other thieves loiter around store parking lots watching for the driver who leaves his or her vehicle running just to keep it warm while they go inside.  This especially concerns police when it involves parents who leave their children in cars with the engine running.  Car thieves don’t always check to see who is in the back seat before stealing the vehicle.  

During the next several months, Maryland state troopers at all 22 barracks will be conducting specific initiatives to locate unoccupied vehicles with the engines running.  They will focus on commercial areas and communities, depending on their areas of responsibility and the locations of their highest rates of vehicle thefts.  

State Police are reminding drivers that the most important steps to vehicle theft prevention are easy – lock your car and take the key.  Additional layers of protection can be added, such as using a mechanical anti-theft device, etching the vehicle identification number onto various locations of the automobile, and investing in a vehicle tracking security system.  

MIDDLE RIVER , MD (October 5, 2012) —Governor Martin O’Malley today joined Colonel Marcus Brown, officials from AgustaWestland, representatives from the state’s emergency medical services community, and other officials to unveil the first new Maryland State Police medevac helicopter, an important step forward in replacing Maryland’s aging medevac helicopter fleet.   

“The most sacred responsibility that any government holds is to protect the lives of its citizens. It’s a statewide effort that involves partnership at every level, which is why we’re fortunate in Maryland to have such talented and dedicated first responders,” said Governor O’Malley. “That’s why we chose to invest $121.7 million for 10 new state-of-the-art Medevac helicopters that will replace our current fleet. Together, with the men and women of Maryland’s law enforcement, we’ve driven down violent crime, homicides and property crimes to 30-year lows. And through our actions together, we can create a better, safer tomorrow.”

Maryland has a $121.7 million contract with AgustaWestland for 10 helicopters. Other helicopters are in production and will arrive soon. Officials with the Maryland Department of Transportation coordinated the procurement process. The new helicopters contain the latest in avionics and safety equipment, including terrain awareness warning systems, night vision compatibility, cockpit voice and video recorders, radar altimeters, and advanced instrument flight rating capabilities, all recommended by the Federal Aviation Administration. They provide more space in the patient and cargo areas, enabling flight paramedics to have better access to patients and to carry rescue equipment on board at all times.
 
“This new helicopter and the others that will follow, represent an incredible improvement to public safety capabilities in Maryland,” Colonel Marcus Brown said. “They will provide a safer aircraft for our crews, with more room and equipment for our flight paramedics to care for the injured.  I thank Governor O’Malley who, with the support of the General Assembly, fulfilled his promise to the State Police, our public safety partners, and to the people of Maryland.  These new aircraft will be put to good use and will, along with our EMS partners, continue the amazing lifesaving response and care Maryland is known for.”   

The new aircraft on the way will replace Maryland’s aging fleet of 11 helicopters, 10 of which are now more than 20 years old.  Increasing age and flight hours result in increasing mandated inspections and maintenance, meaning the aircraft are increasingly unavailable for use.

In addition, the new aircraft also have satellite tracking and downlink video capabilities, as well as interoperable communication. The twin engines on the helicopters are more powerful than those on the exiting aircraft, which remains critical during a hoist rescue operation.  The new aircraft will enable the crew to fly the aircraft away if an engine fails during a hoist operation. Currently, the aircraft will stay aloft if an engine fails, but the hoist rescue must be terminated before the aircraft can leave the scene.  According to AgustaWestland, the new helicopter is the fastest in its class, has the largest cabin space of any helicopter in the same weight class, and is the only helicopter in its class that meets or exceeds all the latest civil certification safety requirements.

The new helicopters arriving in Maryland will not be placed into immediate service. State Police helicopter pilots and flight paramedics will be undergoing extensive training on the new aircraft.  In addition to pilots learning the new aircraft requirements, the flight paramedics must also become familiar with the new medical equipment and configurations in the aircraft. State Police Aviation Command officials anticipate the new aircraft to be deployed in actual missions sometime in early 2013.

Maryland’s medevac program began in the State Police in March 1970, in cooperation with Dr. R Adams Cowley and the University of Maryland Shock Trauma Center. Since then, more than 138,000 patients have been flown to lifesaving care at one of Maryland’s network of trauma and specialty-care hospitals.

The Maryland State Police is a proud partner in Maryland’s world renowned emergency medical services system that includes first responders, EMS personnel, and dedicated nurses and doctors throughout the state. This system is coordinated by the Maryland Institute for Emergency Medical Services System.

Working together with local, state and federal law enforcement partners, crime has been driven down to 30-year lows in Maryland. The Governor set a strategic goal to reduce violent crime in Maryland by 20 percent by the end of 2012.  Last year, the Administration surpassed that goal, driving down violent crime 24.4 percent since 2006, a 34-year low. Working together with the courageous men and women of Maryland’s law enforcement, the Administration cleared the DNA backlog in 2008 and used modern DNA technology to take 503 murderers, rapists and other violent criminals off of the streets. With the courage of Maryland’s firefighters, fire-related deaths have been driven down by 23 percent this year.