Police are once again warning the public to keep vehicle doors locked as property crime rates remain high in the community.
A surveillance video captured recently in College Heights clearly shows that unlocked doors are easy targets and locked doors prevent thefts. The video also shows that thieves don’t always look like we expect them too.
In the video taken April 20, the clean cut man suspect walks up to the first vehicle, an unlocked car, and opens the door. He looks around and then enters the car. He spends a minute in the vehicle with a flashlight before he gently shuts the door and moves on to the next vehicle. The suspect then tries the door on the truck, only to find it locked, so he moves on to the next vehicle on the street. This suspect has not yet been identified.
Although this incident occurred on Trent Drive in Lower College Heights, these intrusive property crimes are happening all over the city. Whether you live in College Heights, the Heritage area, the Millar Addition, the VLA, the Hart or areas in between, thefts from vehicles are occurring. Theft from vehicle rates are up 36 per cent (303 to 412) from January 1 to June 4 over the same period last year.
Police are pleading with the public to lock vehicle doors and never leave valuables including purses and wallets in your vehicle. Failing to do this fuels these crimes.
While we are sleeping, thieves are working,
said Cpl. Craig Douglass, spokesperson for the Prince George RCMP, in a press release. Don’t be a victim. Remove valuables, lock doors and report suspicious activity to police.
Police encourage the public to report suspicious persons, vehicles and activities when they see it. Checking into suspicious incidents is part of our duties and not a waste of our time. Please call police right away.
As part of our strategic initiatives, the Prince George RCMP target priority and prolific offenders, as well as other persons believed to be involved in property crime. Investigators are continually looking for information from the public about property related crimes and those that are responsible. Providing information to the police, either directly or through the Prince George Crime Stopper program, will help these investigators and our community partners locate, arrest and prosecute those persons responsible for these crimes.
For tips on theft prevention, please go to the Safety Tips section of our website at www.princegeorge.rcmp.ca.
If you have any information about property related crime in our community, please contact the Prince George RCMP at (250)561-3300 or anonymously contact Crime Stoppers at 1(800)222-8477, online at www.pgcrimestoppers.bc.ca (English only), or Text-A-Tip to CRIMES (274637) using keyword pgtips
. You do not have to reveal your identity to Crime Stoppers. If you provide information that leads to an arrest or the recovery of stolen property, you could be eligible for a cash reward.
