A rise in thefts from vehicles and stolen vehicle cases has prompted Sidney/North Saanich RCMP to request the public to lock their doors.
According to a press release, residents in the Sidney/North Saanich area have been targeted by thieves because a lot of people have not been locking their doors and/or removing valuable items from their parked vehicles.
Police say the municipality is suffering from a disproportionate number of thefts related to parked vehicles – and this is the third time the area has been targeted in 2018.
Out of 35 incidents of theft from vehicles, 30 of them were unlocked. And out of 5 stolen vehicle cases, 3 of them still had the keys/fobs left either inside the vehicle or in an adjoining unlocked vehicle.
Ripple effect
“What residents may not understand is the ripple effect this has on other crimes. Thieves use the stolen vehicle to commit crimes in other areas,” said Sidney / North Saanich RCMP Detachment Commander Staff Sergeant Wayne Conley.
“People who leave their wallets and bank cards can have their identities compromised, and there have been reports of their cards being used for fraudulent purchases throughout the
Island area.”
“The thieves will continue to come to the area until residents practice crime prevention. As a Detachment Commander it’s disappointing to see this happen again and again when the solution is so simple, don’t leave valuables in your vehicle and lock your car doors”.
Here’s a map of all the property-related crimes in Sidney/North Saanich:
