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Suffolk County Police Department

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The executive board of the Port Jefferson Station/Terryville Civic Association, above. Photo by Raymond Janis

The Port Jefferson Station/Terryville Civic Association met at Comsewogue Public Library on Tuesday, May 23, expanding upon the priorities set forth by its newly installed executive board last month.

Civic vice president Carolyn Sagliocca, chair of the Land Use Committee, updated the body on a proposed zoning change for a 1.3-acre parcel located on Cherub Lane in Port Jefferson Station between Port Jeff Bowl and 7-11.

Sagliocca said those familiar with the proposed zone changes are “looking to change the zone to J-6,” a Main Street Business District classification under Brookhaven town code. She added, “They’re looking to put possibly a mixed-use — apartments, with possibly retail underneath.”

Given the space restrictions, the civic vice president noted developers are limited in densifying the lot, estimating the space could realistically accommodate only 10 to 20 units.

Just across the street from the Cherub Lane parcel, the proposed redevelopment at Jefferson Plaza — owned by Staller Associates — remained a central talking point for civic leaders, who reiterated concerns about density. 

“We already know about the density that we’re talking about at the Staller project,” civic president Ira Costell said. “To add even more of that right across the street is something we’re concerned about.”

Casey Berry, COPE officer for Suffolk County Police Department, delivered the report on public safety. Berry said crime throughout Port Jeff Station/Terryville had been down, noting that call volume from the area has fallen as well.

The COPE officer reminded residents to lock their doors and not leave their keys or key fobs in their vehicles as the vehicular theft crime phenomenon remains unsettled. [See story, “As vehicle thefts surge, Suffolk police detective warns against leaving key fobs in cars,” Feb. 4, TBR News Media.]

Comsewogue High School students Kylie and Max each delivered reports from the school district. Kylie said local Boy Scout Pack 354 had posted bins at schools throughout the school district for American flags to be retired.

The high school’s CCC Club recently took a field trip to Calverton National Cemetery, where club members helped clean graves and learned about the cemetery’s history, Kylie added.

Max reported on the recent successes of Comsewogue’s varsity athletic teams, with boys tennis and lacrosse and girls lacrosse all punching tickets to the postseason.

Lou Antoniello updated the body on the ongoing work within the civic’s Bylaws Committee, which has started reviewing the bylaws and exploring potential changes. Once the committee has reviewed all the bylaws, Antoniello said the committee would post the proposed changes on the civic’s website and present them at a later meeting to be voted on by the membership.

He emphasized that the bylaws would be a collaborative effort among members over several months.

“It’s not as if we have a committee that’s making changes to the bylaws, and nobody else has input,” he said. “Everybody will have input. Everybody will have the chance to read them, and then we’ll have 30 days before a final vote.”

The civic will not meet next month. The next meeting is on Tuesday, July 25.

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From left, Brittany Villatoro and Angelina Smith have been missing since Sunday. Photo from SCPD

Suffolk County Police Sixth Squad detectives are seeking the public’s help to locate a 16-year old girl and a 13-year-old girl who were reported missing from Stony Brook on May 21.

16-year-old Brittany Villatoro and 13-year-old Angelina Smith were last seen leaving a home on Stony Brook Road together on May 21 at 5:45 p.m.

Villatoro is Hispanic, 5 feet 2 inches tall, 144 pounds with brown hair and brown eyes.

Smith is Hispanic, 5 feet 5 inches tall, 185 pounds with brown hair and brown eyes.

Detectives are asking anyone with information on their location to contact the Sixth Squad at 631-854-8652 or 911.

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Photo from DA's Office
Photo from DA's Office
Photo from DA's Office

Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond A. Tierney has announced that the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office, along with the Suffolk County  Police Department, and the Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office, has partnered with the Fund for  Animal Cruelty Treatment of Suffolk, Inc. (“FACTS”), a 501(C)(3) not-for-profit organization, for the utilization of their animal cruelty crime victims fund.

“Prosecuting an animal cruelty case is unlike any other crime, in that the evidence of the crime  consists of a living, breathing animal that needs to be cared for while the case or investigation is  pending,” said District Attorney Tierney. “Abused or neglected animals require a significant  amount of resources including veterinary care, shelter, transportation, medication, and food. We  have partnered with FACTS so that the money needed for the care and recovery of abused and  neglected animals can be funded by donations, alleviating the burden on Suffolk County  taxpayers.”

“FACTS is proud to partner with the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office, Suffolk County  Police Department and the Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office by providing costs of care that benefit  animal cruelty victims,” said Joyce Glass and Barbara Dennihy, co-founders of FACTS. “This  funding allows animal victims to receive necessary care while recovering and cases are pending.  FACTS meets an identified need during the investigation and prosecution of cases, focusing on  victims without a voice. Donations to FACTS allow us to speak for animal victims by providing  the care and treatment they deserve.”

“Animal cruelty cases are particularly disturbing as the victim is defenseless and voiceless,” said  Suffolk County Police Commissioner Rodney K. Harrison. “This new partnership ensures that  injured or neglected animals receive the necessary care they deserve while the case moves through  the court process. This is a win-win for animal rights as well as Suffolk County taxpayers.”

“Often times, when our Deputy Sheriffs are reporting to a domestic violence situation or similar  crime, they find animals that are also victims of cruelty or abandonment,” said Suffolk County Sheriff Errol D. Toulon, Jr. “This partnership with FACTS will allow us to immediately get  these animals the proper treatment and housing they deserve without worrying about where the  funding for their care is coming from.”

Financial assistance from FACTS will help treat and care for animals that are victims of criminal  animal cruelty investigations that are being prosecuted by District Attorney Tierney’s Biological,  Environmental, and Animal Safety Team.

To kick off FACTS’ fundraising, Kristie Johnson, president of Foos Fire, Inc., a local Suffolk  County fire sprinkler business, and Kristie’s husband, Christopher Johnson, presented FACTS  with a $10,000 check.

If you would like to donate to FACTS, please visit www.FACTSSAVES.org, and click on the  “Donate Now” button.  You can also donate to FACTS on Venmo, to username @factssaves. Donations can be mailed to:  FACTS, 2168 Nesconset Highway, Suite # 310, Stony Brook, New York 11790.



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Town of Brookhaven Councilmember Jonathan Kornreich, center, swears in Ira Costell, right, and Carolyn Sagliocca as president and vice president of the Port Jefferson Station/Terryville Civic Association. Photo by Raymond Janis

The newly reconfigured executive board of the Port Jefferson Station/Terryville Civic Association went straight to work Tuesday night during the body’s general meeting April 25.

Nearly six dozen people turned out as former civic president Ed Garboski and vice president Sal Pitti left their posts, transitioning leadership authority to Ira Costell and Carolyn Sagliocca, respectively. 

Village of Port Jefferson Mayor Margot Garant, former New York State Assemblyman Steve Englebright (D-Setauket) and representatives of state Sen. Anthony Palumbo (R-New Suffolk) and Suffolk County Legislator Kara Hahn (D-Setauket) were all in attendance.

Town of Brookhaven Councilmember Jonathan Kornreich (D-Stony Brook) officiated over a formal swearing-in ceremony for the newly elected civic officers. He thanked the departing civic leaders and congratulated their successors.

“There’s an energy in this community that we haven’t felt in years,” he said. “It’s a whole new optimism, and in large part, that’s because of the drive out of this civic organization.”

To Garboski and Pitti, the councilmember added, “You two are fantastic civic leaders, and I have every confidence that the new board will continue to focus and do the work that you’ve done.”

The newly reconfigured executive board of the Port Jefferson Station/Terryville Civic Association during a general meeting on Tuesday, April 25. Photo by Raymond Janis

Land use

Costell quickly got moving, announcing the creation of a land use committee headed by Sagliocca, which will monitor development and related land use activities within the hamlet.

Further expanding on this theme, Costell articulated his vision for overseeing the redevelopment of the area, narrowing his focus around the projected $100 million proposed investment into Jefferson Plaza, owned by Staller Associates.

“The Staller project is the keystone, if you will, about the entire development of our little hamlet,” he said.

Between the Jefferson Plaza proposal, several planned retirement communities throughout the hamlet and significant residential development in Upper Port, Costell described PJS/T as looking at challenges associated with population density.

“I think it’s incumbent upon us as an organization to register our desire and intention to seek new planning overall, to bring a traffic study and some of the impacts of all of these things cumulatively,” the civic president said. 

He added, “I’d like to go in front of the [Brookhaven] Town Board and express our concern that our little hamlet needs some attention, that we’ve gotten a whole lot of multifamily activity here that we welcome but want done in a fashion and manner that’s going to ameliorate the impacts on existing residents and invite new people in.”

Kornreich concurred with this assessment in part, stating that overdevelopment represents a danger to the quality of life in the area.

“I agree with you that overdevelopment is one of the gravest threats that we face in the destruction of the suburbs, both in respect to our way of life and from an environmental standpoint,” the councilmember said.

Town natural gas program

Kornreich informed the body on a cost-savings strategy for consumers of natural gas. 

Recently, the town launched its Community Choice Aggregation program, partnering with Manhattan-based Good Energy to deliver a fixed rate on natural gas at 69 cents per therm. [See story, “Community Choice Aggregation: Town of Brookhaven joins energy revolution,” March 9, TBR News Media website.]

The councilmember said ratepayers could potentially save hundreds of dollars per year by strategically opting in and out of the CCA program based on the gas price from National Grid.

“Essentially, you can opt in and out at any time as many times as you want for free,” he said.

To save money, he encouraged residents to closely monitor National Grid’s service rates, published at the beginning of every month. “When that price is lower than 69 cents, you stay on National Grid,” he said. “When it goes over, you switch over.”

Based on a model he had conducted for his bill measuring the CCA against the National Grid price, Kornreich projected he would have saved approximately $250 last year.

“This month, in the month of April, National Grid’s price is 35 cents a therm,” he said, adding, “It’s half the price of the CCA … so I’m opting out.”

Reports

A Suffolk County Police Department officer delivered a report on public safety, noting that the phenomenon of catalytic converter theft within the area remains ongoing. The 6th Precinct also observed a slight increase in petit larcenies from this time last year.

He remarked on the new speed cameras installed on the Long Island Expressway. [See story, “New York implements new work-zone enforcement program.”] . The officer reported that during testing, the cameras generated roughly 6,500 summons within a 45-minute window. 

“Please be careful when you get on the LIE,” he said, adding jokingly, “That’s not a county thing. That’s a state thing, so please don’t call us and complain.”

Comsewogue High School students Kylie and Max updated the civic on various developments within the school district. The Spanish Honor Society at the high school recently held a fundraiser to buy Progresso soup donated to the Pax Christi Hospitality Center in Port Jefferson.

Andrea Malchiodi, assistant director of Comsewogue Public Library, announced that the library is conducting a raffle for all cardholders as part of National Library Week. “We’re doing a huge raffle basket, so anybody who is a library card holder can go and put in a raffle to win this fun basket,” she said.

The library is also collecting pet food for a collection drive through Long Island Cares.

PJSTCA corresponding secretary, Charlie McAteer, reported that the town would be holding a Drug Take Back Day on Saturday, April 29, from 10 to 11:30 a.m. at the Train Car Park in Port Jefferson Station.

McAteer also said that the Friends of the Greenway would conduct their next cleanup on Saturday, May 13, at 9 a.m. at the Port Jefferson Station trailhead. This cleanup will coincide with this year’s iteration of the Great Brookhaven Cleanup.

PJSTCA will meet again on Tuesday, May 23, at 7 p.m. at Comsewogue Public Library.

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Stock photo

The Suffolk County Police Department will hold a property auction on Wednesday, April 26 at the Property Section, located at 30 Yaphank Ave. in Yaphank.

The auction will begin at 9 a.m. and will be held rain or shine. There will be a preview of the jewelry and select property on Tuesday, April 25 from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.

Among the items being auctioned include jewelry, bicycles, tools, landscaping equipment, electronics, iPhones and more.

Participants must be at least 18 years old to bid. All items are sold in “as is” condition and must be purchased with cash.

For more information, please call 631-852-6862.

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Narcan kits will be placed in close proximity to automated external defibrillators in county facilities. Stock photo

A new bill sponsored by Suffolk County Legislator Kara Hahn (D-Setauket) has been approved by the county Legislature.

Her resolution requires kits of naloxone — or Narcan, its brand name — to be supplied in close proximity to automated external defibrillators  in all county facilities. The bill was co-sponsored by county Legislator Tom Donnelly (D-Deer Park).

An April 4 press release stated that Narcan “is a lifesaving medication that can reverse the effects of an opioid overdose when administered in a timely manner.” Hahn believes this bill will help to improve the outcomes of the opioid overdoses seen in the county.

Hahn has been passionate about fighting the opioid epidemic for more than a decade now. In April of 2012, she sponsored a resolution which enabled police officers to administer Narcan to overdose victims. The press release for the current resolution noted, “According to SCPD statistics, patrol officers equipped with Narcan have saved thousands of lives in the 10 years since the [original] bill was enacted.”

Old Field resident Carole Trottere came up with the idea for this legislation and brought it to Hahn’s attention only a few months ago.    

“It’s really a no-brainer,” Trottere said. “Put them in wherever we have AEDs. … If you save one life, it’s sparing the parents the horrible grief that I go through and giving someone a second chance to try to get into recovery.”

Trottere has been reaching out to grieving parent groups. “You cannot believe how many groups there are on Long Island alone and nationally of grieving parents who have lost children to fentanyl and overdoses,” she said.

She has also been working with the Suffolk County Police Department’s Behavioral Health Unit. Trottere lost her son, Alex Sutton, to a drug overdose in 2018, and last year planned an event in memory of him at his favorite pizza place. Police attended and carried out Narcan training at the event. This is something they would offer to anyone else who would like to plan an event in memory of a loved one.

According to the press release, the Long Island Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence also supports Hahn’s efforts.

She said this bill will be beneficial because Narcan kits need to be readily available. “What is frightening about the disease of addiction is that it can happen to anyone,” she added. “So it does need to be everywhere.” 

Hahn also mentioned that street drugs are now sometimes laced with fentanyl, so someone could be taking what they think is a simple Xanax, but it’s actually unexpectedly laced with fentanyl.

“It’s probably the person who unexpectedly overdoses that will benefit the most from its placement,” she said. “If it’s ubiquitously placed, then more people will be saved.”

Hahn said she’s working with local universities to build the pipeline of clinical social workers, psychologists and psychiatrists that can help people battling mental health issues. She indicated the system is under-resourced, and she would like to work toward strengthening child, adolescent, and adult mental health in our communities.

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Photo from SCPD Facebook page
Photo from SCPD Facebook page
Photo from SCPD Facebook page
Photo from SCPD Facebook page

The Suffolk County Police Department Impound Section will hold an auction on April 1 at 9 a.m. at the Suffolk County Police Department Impound Facility, located at 100 Old Country Road in Westhampton. The auction begins at 9 a.m. and will be held rain or shine. There will be a preview of the vehicles on March 30 and March 31 between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. at the impound yard. Vehicles will also be available for preview one hour prior to the start of the auction. 

Approximately 120 lots will be auctioned off including sedans, SUVs, and motorcycles. All vehicles will start with a minimum bid of $300 and are sold as-is. For a full list of vehicles, registration information and terms and conditions for the auction, visit suffolkpd.org under Precinct and Specialized Units, click Impound Section followed by Upcoming Auctions and Events or click here.

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File photo

In a message to members of the Smithtown High School East community, school officials notified families that on the afternoon of March 29 the facility was evacuated.

In the message, school officials said,  “Late this afternoon it was reported that graffiti was identified in one of our restrooms that could be interpreted as a nonspecific threat. In an abundance of caution and in conjunction with the recommendation of the Suffolk County Police Department, our facility was evacuated.”

Students were released as soon as possible, according to the message, and school activities were canceled. SCPD was evaluating the safety and security of the high school, and students are not permitted to return inside the building until the police department has given the district the appropriate clearance.

According to SCPD, Fourth Precinct Crime Section officers were investigating the incident after receiving a call at 1:17 p.m. about the graffiti.

Later in the day, Principal Robert Rose notified members of the Smithtown High School East community that SCPD determined that there was “no credible or specific threat to our school community at this time.”

“As is always the case, district administration, its security staff and the SCPD have worked together to ensure the collective safety of our school community,” Rose wrote. “While I know some were frustrated by a lack of information at the time of the evacuation, please know that our first priority is the immediate safety of our students and staff and collaborating with the SCPD to ensure that safety. We certainly understand and agree that notification to parents is also a priority and we will look into ways to get information to you quicker in the future.”

Students were instructed to return to school Thursday, March 30, and to return to the classrooms they left their belongings Wednesdays before reporting to their first period.

Rose wrote that if the SCPD determines “that a threat was made, an arrest will be made regardless of the
intention of the person who made the threat.”

 

 

 

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Deputy Mayor Kathianne Snaden presenting Mark Sternberg, Culper Spy Ring historian at the Drowned Meadow Cottage, with a village proclamation. Photo by Raymond Janis

The Village of Port Jefferson Board of Trustees met on Monday, March 6, with a public meeting covering the East Beach bluff, youth programs, irrigation systems and public safety.

The board continued planning for the phase II upland wall project between the East Beach bluff and the restaurant facility at Port Jefferson Country Club, approving a modification to its drainage plan to accommodate racket sports facilities for $5,500.

Approaching its budget season, the board adopted a local law to enable it to approve a budget with a tax levy that exceeds the default tax levy under New York’s General Municipal Law. The local law passed 3-1, with Mayor Margot Garant absent and trustee Lauren Sheprow voting against it.

The board deliberated with Lisa Perry, president of the village-based nonprofit Long Island Foundation for Education & Sports, a children and family services group which rents a room in the Village Center.

The village lowered the room’s rental rate from $42 to $35 per hour following the COVID-19 pandemic to assist LIFFES with its expenses. Perry emphasized the program is a service to the community.

Following some back-and-forth, the board passed a resolution to continue billing the nonprofit at a $35 per hour rate for the remainder of LIFFES’ spring season. The two parties would revisit the rates for its fall season by May.

Suffolk County police officer John Efstathiou delivered the department’s report on public safety, noting the problem of vehicular theft throughout the area.

“Let’s lock our cars,” he said. “Let’s keep our cars locked in our driveways. Let’s lock them when you park in a parking lot because people are out here stealing many items from people’s vehicles.” He added, “Do not leave your keys in the car.”

Resident Arthur Epp inquired about xylazine — also known as tranq — an animal tranquilizer appearing in fentanyl supplies throughout the country. 

Efstathiou said the 6th Precinct “has not seen that yet.” Because Narcan does not help in instances of xylazine overdose, he suggested the substance would remain on the department’s radar.

Acting code enforcement chief John Borrero during the code department’s monthly public safety report on Monday, March 6. Photo by Raymond Janis

Acting code enforcement chief John Borrero delivered the code department’s report. He took over as acting chief following the suspension with pay of Fred Leute last month. 

Borrero reported a recent incident of two Rottweilers attacking a small dog. “They tore him up pretty good,” the acting chief said, adding that the owner received two citations. 

Borrero urged, “Please keep your dogs tied up.”

Deputy Mayor Kathianne Snaden reported that the Jericho-based Beechwood Organization is in its final stages of closing on the Maryhaven property, with plans to convert that area to residential housing.

“Their plan is to build condos on that site,” Snaden said. “We have a lot of apartments being built uptown. We had some apartment buildings down here, but these will be owner-owned condos.” The deputy mayor added that Beechwood would soon submit its application to the zoning and planning departments.

Trustee Rebecca Kassay reported that the village is exploring potential solutions to the drought problem on Long Island, considering irrigating the golf course at PJCC using rainwater.

“This is the direction everyone seems to be going in,” she said. “The water situation has been serious.”

Trustee Stan Loucks reported that permits are now available for kayak racks. “If you have a kayak, canoe or vessel, you can pick up your applications right now,” he said. “The lottery for those racks will take place on April 3.” He added, “Hopefully, we have enough racks this year, so we don’t really freeze anyone out.”

He also reported that the walkways at Harborfront Park would be renovated in the coming weeks, with discussions in the works for rerouting some.

Trustee Sheprow said the Parks and Recreation Advisory Council approved the date of Aug. 17 for the village’s annual community golf outing at a rate of $75 per player.

“Whoever wants to play who lives or works [in the village], volunteers for the fire department, working in the school district, works at the hospitals is welcome to participate in that golf outing,” she said, adding, “It was very successful last year.”  

During the meeting, Snaden presented Drowned Meadow Cottage historian Mark Sternberg with a village proclamation for his research connecting Port Jefferson to the Culper Spy Ring.

Following the presentation, Sternberg delivered a brief address thanking those for supporting him in his historical endeavors and discussing the momentum behind the village’s local history.

“The energy with the cottage is so incredible, and I wouldn’t be doing this if I didn’t see smiles on so many people’s faces that are coming through,” he said. “It’s been an incredible ride, and I can’t wait to continue it.”

During the public comments, resident Myrna Gordon petitioned the village board to consider banning single-use plastic containers, particularly for village-sponsored events. 

“I would hope that an ordinance or request can be made that the only kind of containers that can be used are environmentally friendly or paper products,” Gordon said. “We have to do away with the plastic.”

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Pixabay photo

The Suffolk County Police Department has observed a recent uptick in stolen vehicles and now urges residents to take precautions.

Detective Richard Marra of SCPD offered a brief history of the crime phenomenon in a phone interview. While vehicle theft cases have been recurrent, the detective noted that the crime is relatively preventable. 

“Ninety percent of the cars that are stolen are probably stolen because [drivers] leave the key fobs in the car,” he said.

Marra said the police department first noticed the trend about three years ago when an organized out-of-state group started targeting luxury models.

“We had a group of guys coming out of New Jersey, mostly from Newark, and they would go to the more affluent neighborhoods,” he said. “They’d come in a van, walk down the street and look for any kind of foreign car.”

Thieves often sought out vehicles with the mirrors folded open. This, Marra said, was an indicator that the vehicle was unlocked. 

If the key fob was left inside, they would easily steal the vehicle. If not, they may rummage through it for hidden valuables.

“Three years ago, it was crazy,” Marra said. “It slowed down a little bit in the last eight months, but we still have a lot of thefts of cars because the key fobs are left in the car.”

The SCPD detective said that the New Jersey bunch often resold their stolen cars on the secondary market. In a highly coordinated manner, they would steal the cars, drive to New Jersey, remove any GPS trackers and then prepare them for international shipment.

“When they had a container ready, they put them on the container, and it was usually going to South Africa,” Marra said.

While the group from New Jersey had targeted luxury models, some vehicle thieves are less interested in the car’s resale value than its utility. 

Marra said some would use the vehicle to temporarily transport drugs or steal catalytic converters, then discard it. While victims of this variety of theft often retrieved their stolen cars, its condition could be irreversibly impaired.

“The ones that are taking just any car — anything that happens to be left with the fob in it — may drive it around for a day or two and then leave it somewhere,” he said. “Sometimes it’s destroyed, sometimes it’s not, but most of the time it’s not in the shape you left it in.”

The spike in vehicle theft follows another auto theft crime that has hit the county, the theft of catalytic converters. [See story, “Catalytic converter theft on the rise in Suffolk County,” TBR News Media website, Feb. 26, 2022.]

Marra indicated that catalytic converter theft has fallen off substantially in recent months due primarily to coordinated arrests conducted with the federal government.

For residents to protect themselves from vehicle theft, he said there is a simple solution — taking their fobs with them as they exit their cars. 

“If people would take their key fobs with them and never leave them in the car, I’d say 90 to 95% of the car thefts would go down,” the detective said. “You just have to keep your keys in your pocket instead of leaving them in the console or the glove compartment.”

He added, “I know it’s nice to just jump in and drive away — but then everybody could jump in and drive away.”

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