Some Okotoks residents aren’t taking the simplest precautions to protect their valuables and vehicles from thieves looking for an easy target.
Okotoks RCMP found one in five vehicles were left unlocked over a four-day period at the end of 2016 and the new year in locations around town. Between Dec. 31 and Jan. 3, three officers checked to see how many vehicles were left unlocked and whether people were leaving valuables out in plain sight. One hundred vehicles were checked in Cimarron Grove Drive, Westland Street, Crystal Shores Heights and Glorond Place.
Const. Emilie Potvin said she was surprised to find three out of every 15 vehicles were left unlocked.
“One in five is a lot,” she said.
Potvin said purses, wallets, and credit cards were left visible inside many of the vehicles. Officers found a variety of items left out, such as tools, sports equipment, golf clubs and sunglasses.
Potvin said they plan to go back out into the same neighbourhoods in the coming months to see if there is any change in the number of vehicles left unlocked.
Reports of thefts from vehicles are near daily occurrences, she said.
Property crimes have been on the rise in Okotoks in recent years, particularly cases of stolen vehicles and thefts from vehicles. In 2016 Okotoks officers responded to 163 reports of theft from vehicles and 91 stolen vehicles.
There has been a rash of incidents in recent months with reports of car prowlings and stolen vehicles coming in from across the community. Many of those behind the thefts are often coming from Calgary, said Potvin.
Police encourage people to lock their vehicles and remove or hide anything of value. Potvin said it’s an easy step to prevent theft and protect valuables and personal items.
“That’s what we want, for the last couple months we had a lot of theft from inside vehicles and theft of vehicles,” she said.
RCMP advise people to make sure their cars are locked with the windows fully closed. They also say to park in well-lit areas, don’t leave keys inside vehicles and hide or remove anything of value and keep garage door openers out of site because they can give thieves easy access into homes and garages. Even if a car is left in a garage or parkade, Potvin said it’s still important to ensure it’s locked.
Anyone with any information regarding thefts from vehicles or any other crimes are asked to call the Okotoks RCMP at 403-995-6400 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).
