Car thefts skyrocket as vehicle owners stay inside during coronavirus pandemic

People have been washing their hands more than ever, but some car thieves still have sticky fingers.

As vehicle owners heed stay-at-home orders, unattended cars have become a target of thieves taking advantage of the coronavirus pandemic. Car thefts have skyrocketed across the nation.

In the hard-hit state of New York, car larcenies jumped 63% from Jan. 1 to mid-May when compared to the year prior. Los Angeles also saw vehicle thefts increase by 17% in the same time span. For the month of April, car thefts were up 50% in Austin, Texas, when compared to April 2019.

Of the 322 vehicles that were stolen in Austin, 72% of drivers had left their keys near the vehicle. Authorities have warned drivers to lock their cars and take their keys with them to protect their property.

"You can get on the internet nowadays and learn how to break into vehicles just searching YouTube," Austin Police Sgt. Chris Vetrano told ABC News.

Vehicle burglaries were also on the rise. Salt Lake City saw a 22% increase in burglaries in vehicles, leaving officers to begin patrolling for thieves on "car prowls.”

“It’s really 10 seconds," Salt Lake City Police Detective Greg Wilking said of the burglaries. “They’re not spending a lot of time in your car. It’s a smash-and-grab-and-go.”

Thefts may be on the rise, but violent crimes have plummeted during the pandemic.