It’s too cold to commit crime, Illinois cops warn. ‘Stay inside’ they tell crooks

An Illinois police department has “canceled” all crime as a result of inclement weather, according to a joking Facebook post.

“Due to the extreme cold and wind, the Westchester Police Department is canceling all misdemeanor and felony criminal activities,” the agency wrote Saturday on Facebook.

“Criminals, please take note, it is too cold to commit crimes,” police continued. “Stay inside and read, watch Netflix, go on the FBI Bank Robbers website and help catch other criminals, anything, but for the love of polar bears, do not go outside and commit crimes.”

A forecast chart posted with the Facebook message shows temperatures as low as minus-13 degrees Fahrenheit last week. Westchester is about 15 miles west of Chicago.

A polar vortex barreling toward Illinois poses the prospect of record-breaking — and life-threatening — cold this week, The Chicago Tribune reported.

Freezing snow could drop temperatures to as much as 23 degrees below zero, according to the publication.

The Westchester Police Department post on Facebook has received 1,100 likes, 90 comments and 600 shares by Monday afternoon.

This story was originally published January 28, 2019 at 1:58 PM with the headline "It’s too cold to commit crime, Illinois cops warn. ‘Stay inside’ they tell crooks."