Idling cars at great risk of theft
With the return of cold weather to the city, police are reminding Calgarians to keep a close watch on their vehicles — especially if they are left running.
In a video titled Gone in 60 Seconds, posted to the Calgary Police Service’s Twitter account on Wednesday, a person starts a vehicle and leaves it idling before going back inside their residence.
A few seconds later, a second person is seen approaching the vehicle from across the street before jumping into the driver’s seat and taking off, with an accomplice in another vehicle following close behind.
The service will roll out its annual awareness campaign called Operation Cold Start near the end of January.
Staff Sgt. Graeme Smiley said the scene in the Twitter video is an alltoo-familiar one.
He said car thieves often work in teams and prowl neighbourhoods in search of running, unattended vehicles.
The stolen cars or their keys are then used as a “transactional piece” for a network of criminals and car thieves, or they are given a new vehicle identification number and sold to an unsuspecting buyer.
“The person committing the crime, they could be two, three, four or five layers away from the person who is going to be involved with using the vehicle,” Smiley said. “The keys are traded, shall we say, or purchased.”
Smiley said protecting your car from theft can also help safeguard your neighbourhood from being a target for potentially violent criminals and dangerous impaired drivers.
“The problem for us is about the driving of these vehicles … and the danger associated with people who are under the influence of, let’s say, methamphetamine,” Smiley said.
In a year-end interview with Postmedia, interim police Chief Steve Barlow said the paranoia-inducing drug can cause car thieves “to flee from the police at any cost,” putting Calgarians in danger, as one driver did on Dec. 17.
Smiley is encouraging Calgarians to start “habit breaking,” and realize a running car can lead to “a community safety risk.”
In 2018, a police auto theft task force laid hundreds of charges against 54 people in a three-month period, including one suspected thief wanted on 62 outstanding criminal warrants. Forty-four cars with a total value of more than $1 million were seized by auto theft team members during the operation.
POLICE REMIND CITIZENS PLANNING TO WARM UP THEIR VEHICLE TO:
Never leave a running vehicle unattended, whether with keys in the ignition or a keyless system.
Use a remote starter whenever possible and keep your vehicle locked.
Use a steering wheel lock to deter thieves.
Never leave spare keys or garage door openers in or around your vehicle.
Always lock the person door leading from a garage into a residence.
Never leave children or pets in a running vehicle.
Do not leave valuables, including identity documents or bank cards, in a vehicle.
If you witness a crime, such as a vehicle being stolen, call 911 and provide as much descriptive information as possible. Never approach a suspect or pursue a stolen vehicle.