Canada hosts summit on auto thefts, but Calgary and Alberta bucking the trend
According to the Calgary Police Service, the city saw carjackings rise last year while car thefts dipped.
In 2023, the number of car thefts, 4898, dipped by nearly 18 per cent. Compared to the 5924 in 2022. The five year average was 5772 – a 15.8 per cent decrease.
The city saw a total of 59 carjackings in 2023, compared to 40 in 2022. Already this year, there have been nine, which is well on pace to surpass 2023 total.
The Calgary Police Service noted the motivators for carjackings were not for organized crime to sell the vehicles, a phenomenon seen in places like B.C. and Ontario.
Alberta RCMP have these tips for people to help prevent car thefts:
- Always keep your doors locked when you are not in the vehicle, especially if it is running;
- Never leave your keys in your vehicle;
- Be sure to remove all valuables, and store purchases in your trunk until you get home;
- Use a steering wheel club;
- Always keep your garage locked, and do not store your garage door opener in your vehicle;
- Whenever possible, park in a well-lit area; and
- Consider installing a vehicle tracking system.
In Canada, there are nearly 100,000 vehicles stolen each year, costing policy holders and taxpayers about one billion dollars.
A summit is being held in Ottawa on Thursday to target the surge in auto thefts in the country.
The federal government’s talks come as $28 million is budgeted to the Canada Border Services Agency to help track down and search shipping containers loaded with stolen vehicles destined overseas.
View original article here Source