April is auto crime enforcement month

Photo: Castanet Staff

The Kamloops RCMP want to remind residents that April is auto crime enforcement month.

As seen in the most recent theft from motor vehicles map for the week of March 29 to April 4, theft was up to 39 reported incidents for the week.

While downtown still remains a hotspot with 12 of the reports, areas such as Sun Rivers and Sahali are seeing more action as well.

Police remind residents that a mask or an empty bottle might be a big enough draw for people to break into vehicles, which could also cause thousands of dollars in damage.

“When it comes to ensuring your valuables are not visible inside a vehicle, it’s important to keep in mind that something you may think of as having no value, such as a non-medical mask or empty pop can, might be exactly what someone else is looking for as they’re walking by and looking into your vehicle,” said Corporal Dana Napier of the Crime Prevention Unit, in a press release.

Throughout the month, the Integrated Municipal Provincial Auto Crime Team (IMPACT), Government of BC, and ICBC, are asking vehicle owners to add auto crime safety precautions.

The theme for this year is 'keep in mind, what you leave behind’ imploring people to pay attention to what is in their parked cars.

A couple steps to take towards prevention include locking your vehicle, removing or hiding valuables, ensuring you have your keys, parking in a well-lit and high traffic area and using an immobilizer.

Overall there has been a decrease noted in Kamloops, with theft of motor vehicle files down by nine per cent and reports dropping 27 per cent in 2020 compared to 2019.

“As we move forward this year and restrictions begin to ease, we want to make sure that vehicle owners keep up their safety routines, and avoid becoming a victim of auto crime,” added Inspector Vermeulen.

“Auto crime is not only an upsetting and inconvenient experience for our customers, but also adds pressure on claims costs,” said Lindsay Matthews, ICBC Vice President Public Affairs and Driver Licensing.

“Thieves are adapting and changing their strategies to get into your car or truck, so don’t leave your keys unguarded and lock your vehicle at all times. Taking action to prevent auto crime not only helps to control claims costs, but also helps make our communities and roads safer.