April Auto Theft Prevention Month
Prince George, B.C. – When it comes to vehicle theft in areas outside the lower mainland, 4 of the top ten vehicles stolen last year were pick up trucks. Across the entire province, 50 per cent of the top 10 vehicles stolen last year were pickups.
April is Auto Crime Enforcement Month and the Integrated Municipal Provincial Auto Crime Team (IMPACT), the Province of British Columbia, and ICBC are encouraging vehicle owners, especially owners of pickup trucks, to prevent auto theft and secure their vehicle.
While theft of vehicles was down 4.8 per cent last year, IMPACT’s data shows that Ford F Series pickup trucks were the most common vehicle stolen in B.C.—1209 stolen in 2016. This is closely followed by Dodge, GMC/Chevy and Toyota pickup trucks. Every day, an average of 32 vehicles of all types were stolen in B.C. in 2016.
Older vehicles are easier targets because they are less likely to have an electronic engine immobilizers installed.
IMPACT is also warning people to be alert and simply not leave items on display in their vehicles. Theft of property from a vehicle was up 10.7 per cent in 2016.
In the most recent statistics provided by Prince George RCMP Superintendent Warren Brown, thefts of vehicles over $5,000 in Prince George were up last year by 9% over the previous year. There were 139 such thefts in 2016 compared to 127 in both 2015 and 2014 and 102 thefts of vehicles over $5000 in 2013.
We urge the public to do their part to reduce auto crime,
says Inspector Brian MacDonald Officer in Charge of IMPACT. Lock your vehicle, protect your keys, use an antitheft device, and remove valuables from your vehicle. This will go a long way to prevent auto crime. Remember, your vehicle is a display case for thieves. Don`t make it easy for them.
Keeping your vehicle safe requires a conscious effort by all vehicle owners. Here are some anti-theft tips for truck owners:
- Don’t leave your vehicle running and unattended with the key in the ignition.
- Park in a locked garage, or a well-lit, highly-visible, high-traffic area. Back into a parking stall, and park with your truck’s tailgate close to a building or other vehicle to prevent the tailgate from being opened.
- Remove unsecured possessions from your vehicle—smartphones, shopping bags, tools, cash, briefcase, or garage door opener. Remove everything that could tempt a thief..
- Install an alarm system in your vehicle with a tailgate actuator that locks at the same time as the other doors.
- Attached an antitheft device. A well-secured car will deter thieves.
- Always lock your tailgate. Many trucks have factory-installed locks, and aftermarket lock assemblies are also available. Or, attach a tailgate padlock, simple hose, or a locking easy clamp where the tailgate lifts out.
- Report suspicious persons, vehicles, or activities to police as soon as possible.
More safety tips can be found at: http://www.baitcar.com/top-ten/ways-protect-vehicle-belongings
Comments
“IMPACT’s data shows that Ford F Series pickup trucks were the most common vehicle stolen in B.C.”
Well the Ford commercials do say it is easy to get into a Ford…
Don’t let the Bad Guys out , put them on an Ice Floe !
Wish it would happen, save the taxpayers a helluva lot of wasted money from the revolving door of comedy justice! BUT, the wallflowers and snowflakes out there would whine to high heaven, unless of course they were victims! That is why Justice is soft. Technicalities and Liers (whoops, meant lawyers) and loopholes that the offenders know and can get off, no punishment involved.
Anyone else getting tired of Lien’s constant mention of “wallflowers” and “snowflakes” in virtually everyone of his comments? Seems to be his go-to default comment on everything.
“We urge the public to do their part to reduce auto crime,”
How about the courts do their part???
They CAN’T, because they are under funded and under staffed by you know who!!!
I think it is more a case of 10% of the people take up 90% of the courts time, time to stop this revolving door and put these guys away for some serious jail time, but that goes against everything Liberal.
what is up with the “CHIP KEY” Thought this was supposed to make it harder for theft!
Do you know of any vehicles equipped with chipped keys that have been ripped?
ICBC gives discounts for having passive immobilizers on your vehicles. They do not give discounts for having a passive immobilizer on your motorcycle. What’s with that?
Many stolen vehicles are later used in the proceeds of another crimes, and I would think pickup trucks are popular for thieves because they are much sturdier vehicles for running back-end first into buildings like cold beer and wine stores.
But hey, it would take an intelligent, perceptive, person to make that kind of connection, would it not?
No, pickups (fords mostly) are easier to steal a they have no factory alarm except for the higher end. A lot are just driven until they get tired of them and run them into a swamp or lake or tree or just torch them
Oh come on Peeps, you saw and heard that on the news last night, so once again you haven’t had an original thought!
Post a link to last night’s news story then HG, what TV channel news station was it on?
ht tp://bc.ctvnews.ca/video?clipId=1088330
ht tp://www.ckpg.com/2017/03/27/liquor-store-smash-and-grab-under-investigation/
Wow, your links have nothing to do with my theory that pickup trucks are used to back into commercial businesses as battering rams. The first bctv news link only mentions thieves using trucks to transport stolen goods or use them as battering rams against police vehicles. Your second CKPG link does not even mention “pickup trucks”!
I simply requested you post a link to the TV news station / source where you thought I “stole” my idea from, and you failed miserably!!!
Take a hike HG, next time you accuse me to taking (stealing) an idea from a TV news story and calling it my own idea, come up with some proof to support your baseless accusations!
BH
Is it a personal attack if I THINK you are an idiot rather than calling you an idiot?
Food for thought.
Two break and enter “smash and grabs” in PG this month Peeps! In both cases, vehicles were used to smash into the businesses.
The perps fled the scenes and they didn’t leave a vehicle behind. I’ve got a funny feeling that they weren’t driving a Nissan Sentra or a Hyundai Elantra!
You have a “theory” that pickups were used as battering rams? Wow, I bet it took a lot for you to put that “theory” together, haha!
Case in point, Spruceland was hit by a stolen Toyota mini van, Pine Centre by a stolen Jeep Cherokee. Even retailers are getting smash and grabs by people with rocks – has been a rash of those lately too.
F250 and 350 remain the vehicle of choice as entry and theft is quick, the ones made for working rather than pavement queens are less likely to have any type of alarm or immobilizer once you open the door. Recent (2000s) GMs have intrusion alarms if you lock with the fob which have to be turned off with the fob or starting the truck, small GM trucks have chipped keys. Stealing a more plain jane truck is safer for intrusion or immobilizing alarm foiling the theft.
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