Vehicle thefts are on the rise in Calgary, and a high percentage of the cars and trucks stolen last year required little-to-no effort for thieves to drive off.
New statistics released by the Calgary Police Service (CPS) show 5,758 passenger vehicles and trucks were swiped in 2017 — an increase of nearly 700 vehicles from the year before, and the highest number of vehicles stolen in a decade.
But concerning to CPS is what they call a “significant percentage” of those stolen vehicles being easy targets for thieves.
As many as one in five of the vehicles stolen in a month was taken while the vehicle was left running and the keys were in the vehicle.
“The fact that CPS has to spend a lot of time and their energy and having their officers engaged on educating the public not to leave their vehicles running, really — in this day and age, I would think that most individuals understand that you cannot leave your vehicle running,” said Calgary Police Commission chair Brian Thiessen.
“We’d rather have CPS officers engaged in catching criminals, preventing crimes, [rather] than having to repeatedly educate the public not to leave their vehicles running.”
READ MORE: Almost 700 unlocked vehicles left running with keys inside in last 2 weeks: Calgary police
Calgary police have embarked on a number of public awareness campaigns to get people to change their habits when it comes to leaving keys in their cars. Throughout January, “Operation Cold Start” drew attention to the issue and another public information campaign is planned for February.
CPS is also researching the feasibility of a bylaw which would prohibit leaving vehicles running unlocked and unattended.
“If it’s not getting through and we continue to see vehicle owners leave their vehicles running, and CPS looks at their tactics and says that’s one they want us to explore as a commission, I’d absolutely take that to city council.”
But Calgary Police Chief Roger Chaffin told reporters he’s not certain a bylaw is the right way to get people to change their behaviours.
But Chief Chaffin is not so certain using a bylaw is the right way to get people to change their behaviour.
“We want to make sure we’re doing all we can first and foremost to identify the issue with Calgarians, that we work on prevention first,” Chaffin said. “And if there are regulations that make sense — that would actually help — that would be something I’d strongly support.”
“I’d rather work on co-operation first. I don’t want to have to use enforcement to gain compliance.”
READ MORE: Dramatic takedown of truck theft suspect caught on video in west Edmonton
While keys left in the car account for a big chunk of the thefts, others are taken using keys stolen from homes, car dealerships, car lockers and through other means.
Offenders tell police that among their motivations for stealing vehicles is the ease with which it can be done, to use the vehicle to facilitate committing other crimes and for financial gain.