Vehicle thefts accelerate:

Flagstaff saw five auto thefts within six hours Monday morning, and reports indicate that each car was stolen while being warmed up with the keys in the ignition and the drivers back in their homes.

FLAGSTAFF - Flagstaff has its share of auto thefts, but the city saw five within six hours Monday morning. Blame the colder weather, at least in part.

The Arizona Daily Sun reports that each car was stolen while being warmed up with the keys in the ignition and the drivers back in their residences.

Police Sgt. Cory Runge says an increase in car thefts is common this time of year but that Flagstaff doesn’t typically have five in one day.

Police say the thefts in neighborhoods across the northern Arizona city apparently were committed by multiple people but didn’t rule out the possibility that some of the thefts were connected.

At least two of the five cars were recovered and one arrest was made.

Cody Little’s car was stolen just as he was about to take his daughter to school, he says.

“I went outside and thought it was weird the car was gone,” Little told the Daily Sun. “I thought it was a joke.”

Little later saw someone driving his Toyota 4runner in town and called police.

The vehicle was found abandoned near his house, but no arrests had been made.