Lock it or Lose it

The local RCMP have issued a Public Service Announcement reminding residents to lock the doors of their vehicle if idling to warm up.

An SUV was stolen from outside of a liquor store, while it was warming up on December 30, just after 11pm according to the release. Shortly after, around 1am on December 31, RCMP said a vehicle was stolen from outside a restaurant while idling to keep warm.

“It is our experience in winter that when a vehicle was stolen while running, the owners had typically failed to secure their vehicle, even if it was just for a few short minutes,” said Constable Chad Neustaeter, Media Relations Officer for the Fort St. John RCMP.  “This creates avoidable hardships for the owners and unnecessary work for the police.”

Vehicles which are unlocked and have their keys in the ignition are prime targets for thieves who are looking for the easiest target said police, and personal belongings and identification can also be hard to replace.

With so many residents running their vehicles to warm them up during the continued cold, the RCMP say it is ‘imperative’ for locals to lock their vehicles when not attended.