Over 240 running vehicles stolen in Calgary since November: police

Calgary police say 246 vehicles were reported stolen in a three-month period since November, all while they were running.

That’s according to data between Nov. 1 and Jan. 25.

“Vehicles that are left running with the keys inside can be gone in a matter of seconds,” said Acting Sgt. Chris Terry. “These crimes can happen anywhere, even if you believe you are in a safe area, and even if your vehicle stays in your line of sight while you’re inside your house or a store.”

According to the RCMP, around 25 per cent of stolen vehicles in Alberta are stolen “while idling.” Investigators note the thefts are more common in the cold winter months, likely because people will start their vehicles to warm them up.

“A cold car is better than a stolen car, so as the temperatures drop, if you need to warm up your car and you don’t have a remote starter, make sure you bundle up and stay with your vehicle until you’re ready to drive away,” Terry with CPS said.

A poster for Operation Cold Start. (CPS photo)

In an effort to reduce the number of thefts, the Calgary Police Service is joining the Alberta RCMP to patrol communities as part of Operation Cold Start. During these patrols, officers will look for vehicles that are left running with no one inside.

They say vehicles can be “stolen in seconds by thieves lying in wait.” Investigators add stolen vehicles are often used by criminals to “commit other crimes in the city.”

“Alberta has the highest per capita auto theft rate in the country,” said Supt. Mike McCauley of the Community Safety and Wellbeing Branch of the RCMP.

“This drives up insurance rates for Albertans, and these files take a great deal of time to investigate. This project will prevent some of these crimes during the project, and ideally, thanks to the educational component of the project, will change Albertan’s habits. It is a small investment tackling one of the root causes of this crime.”

Police are urging Calgarians to never leave their vehicles unattended with the keys inside.

Other reminders include:

• Use a remote starter whenever possible and keep your vehicle locked.
• If you are warming up your vehicle with the keys in the ignition or with a push-button start, stay with your vehicle.
• Use a steering wheel lock to deter thieves.
• Never leave spare keys or garage door openers in or around your vehicle.
• Never leave children or pets in a running vehicle.
• Do not leave valuables, including identity documents and bank cards, in your vehicle.
• Report suspicious activity to police immediately by calling 403-266-1234.

Calgary police say stats on Operation Cold Start will shared on its social media accounts at the end of the week.