On June 9th, Red Deer RCMP and five Red Deer Citizens on Patrol (COP) volunteers did visual inspections on 106 vehicles parked at Collicutt Centre, as part of the ongoing Lock it or Lose it public education campaign; volunteers did not try doors or touch vehicles, other than to leave a report card at the vehicle, flagging temptations that might encourage a thief to break into the vehicle or try to steal it.

Constable Sean Morris of the Red Deer RCMP notes that only 33 per cent of the vehicles checked received a thumbs up for the care drivers took to protect themselves from crime, and six had visible keys left in the vehicle. The results are disappointing compared to the January Lock It or Lose It checks, where 50 per cent of vehicles received thumbs up and none had keys visible.

During the June 9th checks, 29 drivers left possessions or cash in plain view, 20 left electronics on visible display, and 36 had a garage door opener in plain view. Three drivers left their vehicle windows open.

“It takes a thief mere seconds to smash your window and grab your possessions, and it’s frustrating to see so many citizens still making it easy for property criminals to ply their trade in the community. Every week, Red Deer RCMP get reports from people who leave purses and wallets in their vehicles throughout the day and even overnight, and many of these victims end up dealing with the ramifications of identity theft for months afterward,” said Constable Sean Morris of the Red Deer RCMP. “The RCMP are working hard to reduce crime in Red Deer through increased patrols, covert operations and special projects like the warrant round-up and the drug trafficking sweeps, and the community needs to meet us halfway. Target hardening only takes a few extra seconds, and these are easy, smart behaviours that benefit individuals, your neighbours and the entire community.”

During Lock it or Lose it checks, vehicle owners also get helpful reminders about expired or soon-to-expire registration, and volunteers flag issues such as cracked windshields or a note that the vehicle appeared to have been left unlocked.

The Lock it or Lose it campaign is part of ongoing crime reduction work by Red Deer RCMP and local crime prevention agencies to educate Red Deerians about ways they can avoid being victims of crime. Red Deer RCMP and COP conducted five Lock it or Lose it events in 2017; the June 9 event was the second in a series of checks planned for 2018.

-Submitted by Red Deer RCMP