WESTLOCK – A recent rash of vehicle thefts within Westlock’s borders has RCMP reminding residents to use command/automatic start devices, or at the very least, ensure their vehicles are locked if they need to leave them running and unattended.
Westlock RCMP Detachment acting commander Cpl. Riley Sutherland said March 9 that over the past week they’ve dealt with two stolen vehicles — one, left idling with the keys inside, was driven away from a gas station in town around 7:53 a.m., March 7, then dumped in Spruce Grove later that day, while another was pinched from the Hamlet of Fawcett just before 1 p.m., March 4 and recovered in Westlock two days later. And while the circumstances involving both are a little different, the message from RCMP is the same — never leave the keys inside an idling, unattended vehicle.
According to a past RCMP news release, Alberta has the highest per-capita auto theft rate in the country and note that half of the vehicles that are stolen have been left running and 50 per cent of those had the keys left inside — in 2022, Westlock RCMP handled 82 vehicle-theft files, while in 2021 there were 73 reported in the town and county.
Sutherland understands that due to the recent cold snap, people are more inclined to leave their vehicles running, but said thieves only need seconds and prey on easy targets — the easiest solutions are to install and use a command-start system or to just turn off and lock your vehicle when ducking into a store. Other recommendations recently offered by police during Operation Cold Start, a program aimed at cutting down on thefts of idling vehicles, include using a steering wheel locking device and to remove all valuables from your vehicle like purses, wallets, keys, or change.
“It’s all about deterring thieves because generally they’re not looking for something difficult to take, they’re looking for things that are easy … more crimes of opportunity,” said Sutherland.
At home, keep your keys out of plain sight and in a safe and secure place and always take your garage door remote control from your vehicle. It also goes without saying that children and pets should never be left in an unattended running vehicle no matter the time of year.
And with spring seeding just around corner, Sutherland also recommends that farmers not only lock all their vehicles and outbuildings but install security cameras around their property.
“Criminals have figured out that if they go into the rural areas, crime doesn’t get noticed as quickly because people tend to have a lot of equipment, shops, and garages. I understand that for farmers that having all the equipment locked up, especially when you use it on a regular basis, is inconvenient. But nowadays, it’s just worth those extra few minutes it takes to unlock and the then re-lock your shop,” Sutherland added.
