With holiday shopping in full swing, police forces across the province are reminding the public to “lock it or lose it.”
The campaign, organized by the Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police (OACP), was launched Thursday morning at Yorkdale Shopping Centre in Toronto.
“Locking your vehicle and keeping valuables such as GPS and mobile devices, laptops, shopping bags, money and credit cards out of sight can go a long way in deterring criminal activities,” said Kimberly Greenwood, the OACP’s first vice-president and chief of the Barrie Police Service.
Throughout the Lock It OR Lose It campaign, police officers, auxiliary officers, and crime prevention personnel will be checking parked vehicles to make sure they are locked and that valuables are out of sight. Vehicles up to standard will be left with notices congratulating drivers while notices outlining prevention tips will be left with vehicles that don’t meet those standards.
Police also issued a list of the Top 10 tips to protect your vehicle and its contents. The list reminds motorists to:
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- Ensure doors are always locked and the key is in your pocket
- Park in well-lit areas
- Never leave money in plain sight
- Always roll up your car windows
- Put shopping bags and other parcels in the trunk
- Ensure GPS is put in a safe, out-of-sight location
- Keep vehicle registration certificate and proof of insurance on you
- Take electronics, including your cellphone, with you
- Don’t leave your car running unattended
- If parking in the same lot often, park in different spots each day
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