By Spencer Sterritt

Nanaimo RCMP trying new tactic to deter car thieves

Oct 12, 2018 | 1:39 PM

NANAIMO — “People just have to lock their cars,” Nanaimo RCMP Cst. Gary O’Brien said after sending out another release about the rising tide of thefts from cars.

“We’ve said this 100 times and the message isn’t getting through to people,” he told NanaimoNewsNOW.

The number of thefts from cars is set to eclipse 2017’s total number of incidents in just a few weeks. From January 2018 to the end of September, there were nearly 1,600 reported thefts, compared to 1,661 during the same period last year.

O’Brien said the number one item being stolen from cars, 45 per cent of which were left unlocked, is wallets.

“People think they have great hiding spots…but you’re kidding yourself if you think criminals don’t know. When criminals go to jail, they hang out with other criminals and they’re not trying to get better, they’re talking about how to break into your car and what people leave.”

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To hopefully reduce the number of cars being broken into, the Nanaimo RCMP has printed stickers saying “All Valuables Removed” for people to put in their car windows.

“At least some of the criminals who are reading this might see it and think ‘Hey, there might be nothing in the car worth taking’ and they’ll move on the next one. It may save you a broken window and a $500 deductible.”

Of course, the sticker doesn’t work if valuables are left laying out in the car. O’Brien said hopefully it will be a reminder to drivers to actually follow through and remove anything worthwhile before they leave their car.

Stickers can be picked up from the Nanaimo detachment during regular office hours.

spencer@nanaimonewsnow.com

On Twitter: @spencer_sterrit