After a rash of break and enters, Edmonton police are once again reminding residents to keep their garage door openers somewhere other than their vehicles.
According to police, there were 35 reports of vehicle and garage break and enters between Sept. 25 and Oct. 17. Police believe the thieves gained access after finding a garage door opener in a vehicle parked outside.
Guy and Karen Gordey were victims of a recent garage break-in. The thieves took their brand new bikes worth about $2,000.
“It’s such a violation,” said Karen Gordey who came out of her home on a Monday morning and discovered her car had been broken into and her garage remote stolen.
Police said there were also several instances were vehicles were left unlocked with garage door openers inside in plain view, and even a few were the suspects found spare keys in the console.
“It’s as simple a task as taking that garage door opener out of your vehicle, especially if you’re not going to park it inside the garage,” Farrell said.
Gordey said her remote was not in plain sight, but the thieves took the time to search, then ransacked her detached garage.
“They went through everything,” Gordey said. “The doors the SUV in the garage had been left open and everything turned over.”
Police are urging drivers to take a few steps to ensure their vehicles are safe:
- Do not leave your vehicle running
- Do not leave a spare key inside the vehicle
- Lock your vehicle
- Be aware of where you park
- Don’t leave your keys anywhere they can easily be snatched
- Use a steering wheel locking device
- Do not leave anything in your vehicle
- Install a remote car starter
“I know it’s a bit of an inconvenience for someone to take their garage door opener off because it’s a new thing. Just think of — if your garage was broken into and now you’re out $30,000 worth of tools when you could have just grabbed that thing off the visor,” Farrell said.
Like police, Gordey is warning others to take the garage remote from your car.
“Don’t keep it in your vehicle.”
Anyone with information on any of the thefts is asked to call EPS at 780-423-4567 or #377 from a mobile phone. Anonymous information can also be submitted to Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or online.
– With files from Kendra Slugoski, Global News
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