By Alberta RCMP

RCMP

Alberta RCMP reminders about suspicious activity and leaving vehicles idling

Nov 10, 2019 | 12:58 PM

LEAVING VEHICLES IDLING AND UNOCCUPIED

Alberta RCMP remind drivers not to leave their vehicles idling while unoccupied. When the temperature drops, police see an increase in stolen vehicle incidents while leaving them unoccupied.

Alberta RCMP have estimated that about 33% of all vehicle thefts occurred while the vehicle was idling and unoccupied. Vehicle thefts of this kind are crimes of opportunity and are completely preventable.

RCMP have the following safety tips to keep your vehicle secure, not only in the winter but the warmer months as well:

· Never leave an idling vehicle unoccupied, even when it is locked.

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· 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.

· Never leave children or pets in an idling vehicle.

· Report suspicious activity to police immediately by calling your local police
detachment.

Many people believe that their vehicle isn’t going to be stolen because they live on a quiet street or are only leaving it unattended for a minute. In reality, it only takes second for someone to get into the vehicle and drive away. Stolen vehicles pose a significant risk to public safety and we need the community’s help to prevent these easy thefts.

REPORTING SUSPICIOUS ACTIVITY

Alberta RCMP are pleased to report that the third quarter results for 2019 continue to show an overall steady decrease in property-related crime in Alberta since 2017 (http://www.rcmp.gc.ca/ab/data-and-innovation-donnees-et-innovation/3-alberta-eng.htm).

This could not have been accomplished without the continued efforts of Albertans in securing their personal property and informing their local police of suspicious activity and criminal offences.

In the past, we’ve heard that people say they’ve noticed an increase in crime, but that they aren’t reporting the incidents. We rely on the data and intelligence you provide in your reports to know where we are needed most.

Reports of crime or suspicious activity helps us allocate our resources: your reports tell us where to look, who to look for, and where to patrol in the future.

“Your calls for service to the RCMP matter. Being led by intelligence, like where and when crime is happening, is key to the crime reduction strategy for the Alberta RCMP. This intelligence weaves the different components of our crime reduction strategy into a shared goal of community safety: from finding the criminals that cause the most harm, finding the victims that need the most support, and collaborating with the right partners to keep Albertans safe. – Superintendent Peter Tewfik, Officer-in-Charge of “K” Division Crime Reduction Unit

Quick Facts:

· A report to the police is all information we can analyze and use. Times of the day, locations, and types of vehicles observed are all helpful to us.

· We share this information with our community groups, such as Rural Crime Watch and Alberta Citizens on Patrol Associations, to help identify hotspots and vehicle we are searching for.