St. Pierre RCMP Detachment undertook a project recently to determine to what extent the public was taking steps to protect itself from being the victims of thefts, specifically when it comes to their vehicles and contents.
Thefts from motor vehicles and thefts of motor vehicles are common crimes reported to police yet they are also often crimes of opportunity, facilitated by owners leaving their vehicles unlocked, keys in the vehicle and / or valuables left in plain sight. Cst. Carl Gagnon, a constable with 1 1/2 years of service at St. Pierre Detachment proposed the idea while completing his field training and believed this was a good opportunity to educate the public while determining the extent of the problem. Basing the project on a similarly successful trial in Atlantic Canada, Cst. Gagnon and partners patrolled multiple communities in the St. Pierre Detachment area, randomly checking parked vehicles for locked doors and valuables in plain sight. A total of 378 vehicles checked in parking lots, on the street and driveways, all the same places that thieves will check your vehicles.
The results varied from community to community with the percentage of unlocked vehicles ranging from 16% to 44% with an overall percentage of 28% being unlocked. The percentage of vehicles with valuables left in plain sight was much less with a range from 0% to 5% with an average of 3% having valuables easily accessible to thieves. The owners of these vehicles were left a one page notice on the front seat or windshield describing the situation, risks and some basic tips on reducing the opportunity to be victimized.
It was evident that many people were taking the time to protect themselves by implementing simple measures and forming good habits in removing valuables and locking their cars even though they live “in a small town where nothing ever happens”. It was also clear that there existed the opportunity to educate and encourage the public to recognize that although they live in safe communities, criminal activity does not always come from those living in the community and that criminals are often apt to travel to the seemingly easier targets.
Police respond to numerous complaints of property theft every year, expending multiple hours investigating and following up these complaints. It is important to recognize that once the public reports they have been the subject of such a crime, that the matter is investigated and followed up on by an officer, not only documented. This takes time and challenges police to balance demands for service, while investigating what is too often seen as a preventable crime. Police urge the public to be vigilant in safeguarding their belongings and to take the necessary steps to ensure they are helping themselves by reducing the opportunity to become a victim.
If you were one of those who was left a notice, do not be embarrassed, take note, make some changes and feel relieved that your local uniformed crusaders are out and about in the community looking after the safety of the community in new and innovative ways.
S/Sgt R.L. Poirier
NCO i/c St. Pierre Detachment
(204) 433-7908
