This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2016, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

Salt Lake City police found hundreds of vehicles left warming up and unattended throughout the city as part of an investigation into recent car thefts.

Officers found more than 600 such vehicles on Monday, many with doors unlocked and children inside, in less than three hours.

Sgt. Robin Heiden says officers talked to the owners of each vehicle they found left idling. Almost everyone told police they had only left their cars running "for a second." None of the drivers were cited.

Between Dec. 4 and Jan. 3, 202 vehicles were reported stolen in the city. Nearly 60 had been left running.

A car left warming up Jan. 6 was stolen while a 7-year-old boy slept inside. The car was later found with the boy still asleep and uninjured.