Looking for a cellphone or laptop? Richmond’s city core area seems to be the place to pick one up — if you’re a thief.
According to the RCMP, the number of thefts from cars has almost doubled in the first five months of this year, compared to 2013, with electronics topping the list of pilfered goods. And often, the items have been left in plain view inside the owners’ vehicle.
That’s why the RCMP launched a blitz at the end of July to make the public aware of how inviting they have made their vehicles to thieves.
Groups of RCMP volunteers have been combing parking lots and streets doing safety audits of vehicles and then leaving the owner a ticket tucked under the windshield wiper grading their efforts — or lack thereof — to target harden their property.
“We are reminding people to not leave anything behind in their vehicle,” Richmond RCMP spokeswoman Cpl. Stephanie Ashton.
The blitz is getting increased attention in high incident areas of the city.
According to stats from the RCMP, there were 609 thefts from vehicles reported from January to May in 2013, while 1,169 had occurred over the same period this year — a 92 per cent increase.
And of the 246 auto break-ins reported this May, the majority were clustered along the No. 3 Road corridor, and various adjoining side streets, from Westminster Highway to Alderbridge Way.
Police have yet to come up with a reason for the spike of thefts and are hoping the blitz, which is expected to run for a couple of more weeks, will be a deterrent for thieves and serve as a reminder for vehicle owners to protect their goods.
