With Christmas Eve a month away and Black Friday right around the corner, Vancouver Police want to make sure you don’t become a victim of theft.
The VPD’s Auto Crime Enforcement Unit has teamed up with the Safer Parking Initiative and Canadian Direct Insurance to share their annual crime prevention message. Every year officers hold a demonstration to raise awareness about leaving shopping bags visible in your vehicle.
It is very easy for thieves to break into your vehicle and steal your belongings and it only takes a matter of seconds for them to grab your items and run away.
This year, a Vancouver Police officer showed up dressed as a starfighter pilot from Star Wars.
“There’s some things that it’s smart to do and some things that it’s not smart to do,” says Colin Brown from Canadian Direct Insurance. “So, for example, keep your car visible, don’t park in dark corners if you see the last parking space is in a little dark corner somewhere, that’s probably because no one else has wanted to park there.”
“Don’t make it easy. Don’t leave windows open, don’t leave sunroofs open. Don’t leave anything in your car that can be used elsewhere.”
Theft-from-auto stats in Vancouver (Year-end totals):
- 2014 – 9,645
- 2013 – 8,020
- 2012 –7,778
- 2011 – 7,249
- 2010 – 8,363
- 2009 – 9,629
- 2008 – 11,047
- 2007 – 11,960
- 2006 – 14,476
- 2005 – 16,293
- 2004 – 17,939
- 2 teens charged with murder in case of 16-year-old killed outside Halifax mall
- Green Party deputy leader given jail sentence for Fairy Creek old growth protests
- Cars torched, explosions heard in suspected arson in Montreal neighbourhood
- Gas station clerk stabbed several times during violent attack at Ultramar in Montreal
Comments