Province increasing its chances of catching a car thief
Posted February 1, 2013 6:53 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
VANCOUVER (NEWS1130) – Bait cars will now be stuffed with “bait property” to lure thieves in.
Justice Minister Shirley Bond hopes they won’t be able to tell the difference.
“Police know exactly where you are in real time. They can watch you and they can hear you,” she says.
And that’s not just inside the car, there will now be tracking devices on all the items they have out on display.
“There is no way to tell what is bait and what isn’t. Whether it’s a tool box, the latest smartphone, a gym bag. If you find it in a car it might just be bait property,” explains Bond.
Car theft is down seven per cent since 2011, but theft from cars has actually increased .
We’ve found most car owners know too well how desperate criminals can be. We met a couple of folks who had to learn the hard way that items that appear expensive will draw thieves.
“I had my satchel in there. They thought it was a laptop, so they broke into my car, but didn’t get anything except an empty bag,” explains one man.
“I got broken into like, a week ago. The window got smashed on the passenger side. Actually, some glasses got stolen. Sunglasses,” says another.
Sunglasses happen to be the ninth-most common item stolen from cars; laptops, smartphones, and work tools also make the list.
“It used to happen to me with cassettes and CDs and stuff; I had my car broken into several times,” one woman tells us.
Stereo equipment is still on the top 10 list, as are credit cards, ID, garage door openers, keys, and cash.
“We were stupid enough to pack our car for a camping trip the night before,” recalls another. “Never again, of course!”
What should you do with something that needs to stay in your car? Put it in your trunk or glove compartment so it’s out of sight.
