The Alberta RCMP has once again launched “Operation Cold Start” to raise awareness regarding theft of idling vehicles during the cold season.
From January 20th to the 24th, across the province, police will work with the public to promote theft prevention through several techniques. Officials say police will be checking on unattended, idling vehicles to see if the keys are in them, and whether they are properly secured.
According to RCMP Corporal Troy Savinkoff, unattended vehicles lead to a significant spike in vehicle thefts every winter, with residents looking to beat the cold by leaving their cars running and unattended in public parking areas.
“Unattended vehicles that are left running, every year, especially in Alberta with the cold weather, is the primary circumstance of how motor vehicles are stolen,” he says.
As such, the RCMP has offered up several safety tips for vehicle owners this winter. To start, the RCMP says simple steps such as parking in well lit areas, having visible anti-theft devices in the car, and never leaving a vehicle unattended with the keys can play a significant role in theft prevention. More drastic, but perhaps more effective measures include installing automatic car starters, and not warming up your vehicle in the first place.
Last year, across the province, more than 1,800 vehicles were checked during the operation, proving the RCMP’s point as 521 were found to be unlocked with the keys still in them, and 855 were found locked with keys still in the ignition.
The RCMP maintains that vehicle theft does not only affect vehicle owners, as the numbers have an impact on the greater community. Police say not only do thefts increase the cost of insurance in a particular region, but stolen vehicles can be used for further crime, or even be put back on the market to be sold to unsuspecting Albertans.
