Ford F-350 Owners to Be on Extra Alert

Wednesday, August 29, 2007 10:54 AM

ICBC Loss Prevention Coordinator Christine Silver holds an electronic immobilizing device, while ICBC Claim Centre Manager Norm Ridley displays the wheel lock ( photo opinion250 staff)

It is an unusual move, but ICBC is issuing an advisory to owners of Ford F350 trucks. This particular model has become a favourite of thieves, it ranks at the top of the list of favourite vehicles stolen not only in Prince George but throughout the north, and just last week, four were stolen in Prince George.

Auto theft is on the rise in Prince George, From January to April of this year, 140 vehicles had been stolen, that’s 20 more than the first quarter of 2006 and a full 50 more than the same period in 2005.

Unlike most new vehicles, Ford F350’s do not come equipped with electronic immobilizers. Christine Silver, Prevention Loss Coordinator with ICBC, says the investment of just a couple of hundred dollars in one of the devices could not only make the vehicle theft proof, it could also mean reductions in insurance premiums and a possible reduction in your deductible if there is evidence of intent to steal and the device prevented that theft.

Effective this October, all new vehicles sold in Canada will have to have an electronic immobilizer installed.

Why the F350? That’s a difficult question to answer. Christine Silver says it may be related to the value of the vehicle itself, it may be linked to the thief’s need to steal something else like a quad or a heavy trailer, it may be linked to the number of vehicles in the region.

Whatever the reason, it is a favourite for thieves. The table below shows the top ten vehicles for theft in the North Central Region and the model years in order of highest risk:

1	Ford F-Series	’05 / ’95 /’06 /’04/’96
2	Dodge Ram	‘98/’96/’95/’02/’01
3	Dodge Durango	‘98/’01/’99/’00
4	Dodge Dakota	‘96/’06/’04/’03/’05
5	Jeep Cherokee	‘89/’93/’00/’94/’91
6	GMC Sierra	‘92/’90/’88/’96/’94
7	GMC G3500	‘94/’96/’97/’92/’91
8	Chev K1500	‘94/’92/’98/’91/’96
9	Chev Cavalier	‘03/’91/’94/’97/’04
10	Chrysler (Dodge/Plymouth) Neon	‘95/’00/’96/’04/’05

Silver says there is also extra protection when you add a steering wheel lock to the anti-theft measures. “Thieves see the lock and think twice because it means it is going to take a little longer to steal the vehicle so they move on to the next one.”

Previous Story - Next Story

Email |

Print |

Facebook |

Twitter |

Digg |

Del.icio.us

Posted on Wednesday, August 29, 2007 10:54 AM in News by 250 News

Return to Home

Comments

Posted by: jonnypg on August 29 2007 1:22 PM

Enough is enough,this so called government as to get tough!what are they waiting for,God forbid I board an airplane with 100ml tube of toothpaste I would end up in some Guantanamo prison camp...but these losers are taking over our streets but no matter how much we bitch it seems nothing is being done to deter
these low life's

sorry...just ranting

Posted by: Andyfreeze on August 29 2007 4:29 PM

Don't apologize jonnypg because we all feel the same frustration!
We need to get on our politicians,provincial and federal, who seem to think they are worth so much money for doing so very little!
But how do we make them feel the pressure??
Seem's the governments way of dealing with this kind of thing is to put us all on ignore and then lie to us at election time.
Time to fight back!

Posted by: Chadermando on August 29 2007 5:12 PM

I once worked with a guy that had been caught stealing cars 34 times and spent a total of about 2 years in jail for those types of crimes. Most of the cars he stole after getting out of jail as a teenager, because once in jail he learned how the system worked.

It turns out if you provide information on others they will let you go until they need more information. At the time I knew this guy he got busted for two stolen trucks in his driveway and a couple of stolen sleds. He gave the cops a fake name that he bought the sleds from in Quesnel, and told them he met a guy at the gray cup game who was moving to PG and left some trucks in his driveway. He also told the cops a story about his coke dealer and all charges were again dropped. He couldn't stop laughing when he told the story.

Real scum of the earth scum, but as long as he can convince the police he is one of their assets he doesn't get charged and is allowed to continue the business he does.

Posted by: dgdiggler on August 30 2007 3:27 AM

well chadermando, why don't you call crimestoppers and fill them in with some names and such?

Posted by: acrider54 on August 30 2007 6:05 AM

Must be easier to steal than other models. Ford should make anti theft devices a standard option in new vehicles. Maybe they make more money from ICBC replacing stolen pick ups.

Posted by: Andyfreeze on August 30 2007 8:06 AM

Actually,it is not that difficult for the auto makers to install secure anti-theft devices at the factory.I guess this is available on SOME higher end cars and trucks.
It should be done on ALL vehicles.
Make it mandatory,like seatbealts.
It may cost a bit more, and we would have to pay for that,but in terms of what it would save in insurance,recovery,repairs,and policing,it would be money well spent!
Not completely foolproof perhaps,but it would only help and ANYTHING that helps is a good thing.
Oh wait,there I go again...things that make sense are not applicable!

Posted by: metalman on August 30 2007 8:45 AM

jonnypg don't apologize for reacting like a fine upstanding citizen, you are coming through 5x5. Andyfreeze good idea. The carmakers load their wares up with all sorts of options, why not a standard antitheft device too? I mean most vehicles come standard with a/c, p/w, c-d, p/s, p/b etc all those used to be options. Make the ignition immobilizers standard equipment too!
metalman.