Car Lockout in Las Cruces, NM

Where the car is decides the job

• Downtown. The 2016 downtown plan reported a parking surplus and noted city-owned lots along Church and Water Streets. Six blocks of Main Street reopened to cars in 2012, and the Farmers and Crafts Market fills the street on Wednesday and Saturday mornings, so give a cross street or lot name rather than just "Main Street."
• Mesquite. The streets are narrow and lots are few, so a car is more likely to sit at the curb beside a garden wall than in a lot.
• Mesilla Park. About a dozen service alleys remain. City code Section 27-12-6-6.4 bars alley parking that leaves less than 10 feet clear or blocks a driveway, so say whether the car is in an alley and how much room is around it.

City rules worth knowing

Under Section 27-12-6-6.5, a car may not stay on a street in a nonresidential area for more than half an hour between 2 a.m. and 5 a.m., so a car locked on a commercial street overnight deserves attention. Section 27-12-6-12.8 tells drivers to stop the engine, lock the ignition, remove the key and set the brake before leaving a vehicle unattended, so say whether the engine is still running or the key is inside. This is general information, not legal advice.

Heat and safety

Never leave a child or pet in a locked car. If one is inside, call 911 first. A cabin closed in the sun can overheat in the warmer months. Wait somewhere shaded or sheltered and away from traffic, especially in an alley or a lot where vehicles are moving.

Sending your location

• The cross streets, lot or alley, and which side of the street the car is on.
• Make, model, year and color.
• Whether the key is inside, the engine is running, or the key is lost altogether. For a lost key, see car key replacement.
• Whether anyone is inside the car.

Service overview: car lockout. City overview: Las Cruces.