RCMP are investigating a number of recent incidents of theft from vehicles. Police want to remind motorists that there are steps they can take to minimize their chances of becoming victims of this type of crime.
The RCMP’s crime analyst has identified that during the past 13 days there have been 57 thefts from vehicles in RCMP patrolled areas, 36 of which occurred in or near Tantallon. Of those 36, the majority of the calls were in the Hubley, Hammonds Plains and Hubbards area. Most of the thefts were from unlocked vehicles.
‘When it comes to theft from vehicles, these are typically crimes of opportunity. Thieves are generally looking for electronics like GPS units, cell phones, iPods and laptop computers as well as purses and loose change,’ explains Cpl. Scott MacRae of Halifax District RCMP. ‘Always remember to lock your doors and don’t leave anything of value in the vehicle.’
The vast majority of these incidents are happening in residential areas. A thief or group of thieves will walk from one end of the street to the other, peering in car windows looking for stuff, and checking car doors to see if they’re unlocked. If they find an open vehicle, they’ll rummage through and take anything of value. If they come across a locked vehicle with valuable items left in plain sight, quite often they’ll break in and take what they want. In many cases, the cost of damage to the vehicle exceeds the value of the stolen item.
If you are the victim of property crime please contact the police. It is important that all crimes are reported as it assists police in determining where to conduct pro-active patrols and focus on areas that are being targeted by crime.
‘This reduces overall crime and increases the likelihood of police making an arrest and bringing those responsible to justice,’ says MacRae. ‘Information such as descriptions of suspects and/or vehicles can be crucial information that may lead to an arrest. Although it may seem minor at the time, it could be the important piece of information needed for an investigation.’
If anyone has further information about this, or other incidents, please call your local RCMP detachment or contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477) or by Secure Web Tips at www.crimestoppers.ns.ca. Calls to Crime Stoppers are not taped or traced and if police make an arrest and lay charges based on a tip, callers qualify for a cash award from $50 – $2000.
Source: Release