With April winding down, so is Auto Crime Enforcement Month. This year’s theme has been “Check Your Doors Before They Do” and was established to encourages drivers to protect themselves and their vehicles from becoming victims of theft.
Incidents of theft from vehicles in British Columbia have increased in 2018, up 4.2 per cent in a year-over-year comparison to 2017.
In contrast, theft of vehicles has decreased in 2018 by 13.2 per cent.
The increase in theft from vehicles has become a provincial concern and promotion of the “9 p.m. routine” campaign aims to help people from becoming victims.
Participating in the 9 p.m. Routine takes a few simple steps:
· Leave nothing in plain sight
· Remove valuables and personal items
· Lock and secure your vehicle
· Make a daily habit to do this by 9 p.m. each night.
“Thieves in Mission are looking for easy targets. Leaving your vehicle door unlocked or having valuables out in plain sight make you an easy target,” said Corp. Nathan Berze of the Mission RCMP.
If you have been a victim of theft, the Mission RCMP encourage you to contact the local detachment at 604-826-7161 or Crimestoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS).