With the holiday season almost upon us, the Brockville Police Service is encouraging motorists and passengers to LOCK IT DOWN!! when it comes to their vehicles and not to leave valuables in plain view. The Brockville Police Service is participating in the Ontario Assocaition of Chiefs of Police’s (OACP) annual Lock It OR Lose It campaign. The campaign is a crime prevention program that encourages drivers and passengers to take precautions to protect their vehicles and vehicle contents from theft, particularly during the holiday season but also throughout the year.
“Thieves know that an unlocked vehicle is an open invitation to crime. So is leaving your valuables in plain sight,” said Staff Sergeant Todd Bertrend. “This is a busy time of the year. Its easy to be distracted and leave your vehicle unlocked or valuables in your car. Take extra time to lock it down.”
The campaign is supported by a number of Provincial partners, including the Insurance Bureau of Canada.
During the Lock IT OR Lose It Campaign, Police Officers and Brockville Police Community Volunteers examine parked vehicles to confirm they are locked and that no valuables have been left in plain view. Officers or Volunteers place a small notice on vehicles checked indicating what safety precautions were neglected and offer simple prevention tips for drivers to protect their vehicles against theft. The notices also congratulate drivers who have secured their vehicle.
Motorists and passengers are urged not to keep personal documents such as vehicle ownership, liability pink slips, credit card invoices, or other documents containing personal information in their vehicles. Identity thieves are looking for such documents so they can assume identities, secure credit card accounts, lease vehicles for export, and even take out a mortgage against victim’s properties without their knowledge.
Facts:
* The Lock It OR Lose It Campaign is supported by Accident Support Services, International, Insurance Bureau of Canada, Interac Association/Acxsys Corporation, Mac’s Convience Stores, and Smart Serve Ontario.
* Auto thefts have been on the decline over the past decade – this is great news. However, in the past 12 months, there has been an uptick. Stolen vehicles are up 1% to 73,924 across Canada.
* There has been an increase in identity theft in recent years. Cases of identity theft and fraud have increased across Canada from 10,807 in 2010 to 11,594 in 2013 – a 6% increase.