Cops Ticket Car owners for warming up their cars

In a 4-hour span yesterday a squad of dozens of police officers wrote tickets for anyone who left their cars running and then went back in their homes, Friel said. The fines are between $75 and $105.

http://www.denverpost.com/breakingnews/ci_8118296

I can understand the police wanting to reduce car thefts. However they make no distinction between cars warming up that are left unlocked and those are locked up while the engine is warming up. If the cops really wanted to prevent future cars from being stolen, why not a flyer advising people of the risks involved with “puffing” and no ticket? The ticket and the excessive fine associated with it makes the cops appear to be less concerned about crime and more interested in extorting money from citizens (even if their intentions are pure).

If the insurance companies are behind the law about “puffing”, then a better solution would be for the insurance companies to send their customers a description of their policies regarding compensation for cars that are left running and unlocked, and then are stolen. It should be up to them to dissuade customers from the practice of “puffing”, even if they will still offer compensation they could educate their customers about the risks involved in such a pratice.