With temperatures taking a drastic nosedive, the risk of theft for unlocked idling vehicles soars.
The Lethbridge Police Service is taking part in Operation Cold Start for the first time, a province-wide educational campaign informing the public about keeping your vehicles safe when warming them up this winter.
Sgt. Leanne Christos with LPS’s Community Engagement Unit says when they started on Monday, Jan. 8, they located 56 idling vehicles with their doors unlocked in a single morning.
On Tuesday, a warmer morning, they found one, and on Wednesday, during a ride along with Global News, officers came across 45.
Officers left more than 100 informational brochures inside vehicles across the city.
“It’s a great initiative,” said Christos. “I think it will resonate with people, or it will once they find the notice on their seat.”
She stressed the importance of limiting these crimes of opportunity, as theft can happen within a matter of seconds.
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“We’ll pull up to the running vehicle; one of us will get out, we’ll go to the door, we’ll put a notice on the seat, we’ll close the door, get back in and we haven’t even seen the owner of the vehicle come out,” Christos explained.
In 2022, there were a total of 324 vehicle thefts in Lethbridge, 325 in 2021 and 289 in 2020.
According to Alberta Motor Association (AMA), Lethbridge isn’t the only city dealing with this type of fluctuating theft.
“Across the country, Alberta actually accounts for the second-most thefts from vehicles and theft of vehicles,” said Dominic Schamuhn, AMA’s manager of advocacy. “So, we don’t want to be second best in that category.”
Schamuhn shared that AMA runs a similar educational program: Lock It or Lose It.
“We’re reminding folks to hide their valuables, to lock their vehicles, as we head into some really bad winter weather,” said Schamuhn. “Reminding them not to leave their vehicles running with the keys inside as well.”
In the event someone does find themselves in a situation where a vehicle is stolen, insurance broker Spener Unruh with Schwartz Reliance Insurance & Registry Services explains that as long as a motorist has comprehensive coverage with limited claims, they’re in the clear.
“With comprehensive coverage, you do have coverage,” said Unruh. “That being said, the more claims that we do see collectively as a country, we do see higher rates, the more claims that do go through. But yes, you are covered.”
However, stolen items from your car fall under a different policy.
“If you do have a laptop or say something like that in the vehicle, that would be falling under your home or tenant’s policy,” he said.
“The tough thing about that is you’re usually looking at a higher deductible, so if you’re paying $1,000 deductible on a $1,200 laptop, doesn’t make too much sense in the end, and that is something that will increase your home insurance, is making that claim. So, something to look out for.”
With Unruh sharing just the other day one of his customer’s vehicles was taken out of their driveway, and while it was recovered, it can be quite the process of getting it back.
“Again, they’re going to sweep that vehicle for any type of illegal substances and if so, it usually becomes a write-off just due to liability of possibly inhaling that in the future in your vehicle through the ventilation,” said Unruh.
Operation Cold Start runs until Jan. 12.
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