Red Deer RCMP are reminding the public not to leave their vehicles unlocked and running, after a thief crashed a stolen vehicle into a house this morning then stole a second vehicle and crashed it into a parked car.

A minivan was stolen in the Timberstone area early this morning as it was idling unattended; RCMP recovered the vehicle shortly afterward, after the thief drove it into a house on Ireland Crescent and abandoned it.

The thief then stole a U-Haul truck that was idling nearby and fled the area. RCMP recovered the U-Haul truck in the Pines neighbourhood, where the thief had abandoned it after striking a parked car. Fortunately, no one was injured in these collisions, and the house did not appear to have sustained any significant damage.

“Most vehicle thefts are crimes of opportunity and the events of this morning bear that out,” said Cpl. Karyn Kay of the Red Deer RCMP. “When the thief crashed one stolen vehicle, he only had to look within a block to find another opportunity. And these are examples of the trail of destruction that can be wrought by someone in a stolen vehicle – they’re using them to commit crimes, they’re driving dangerously, and they’re always on the lookout for another opportunity. We’re lucky no one was injured in either crash this morning.”

A third car was stolen this morning in the Glendale area while it was left running and locked; RCMP are not able to confirm if that theft is linked to the two earlier ones. Police further recovered a number of vehicles this morning that had been stolen out of Red Deer in the past few days.

“RCMP receive reports of stolen vehicles nearly daily in the city, and a significant number of those have been left unlocked and running,” said Kay. “Not all crime is preventable, but many of these thefts are.”

Anyone with information about any of these incidents is asked to contact the Red Deer RCMP at 403-343-5575. Those wishing to remain anonymous can call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or report it online at www.tipsubmit.com.

– Fawcett