The Regina Police Service is once again encouraging the public to practice good crime prevention when it comes to the issue of auto theft and theft-from-auto. While car thieves steal all makes and models of vehicles, recent data shows Honda Civics are being targeted more often. Owners of Honda Civics are encouraged to step up their crime prevention game in order to secure their vehicles. From July 3 to July 10, 2018, there have been 25 auto thefts reported in Regina, as compared to 22 within the same timeframe from 2017. So far in 2018, theft of auto has shown an increase over the year-to-date numbers in 2017.
The Regina Police Service would also like to make the public aware of a slight increase in licence plate thefts. Licence plates are often stolen by auto thieves, who hope to escape detection by switching the plates from a stolen vehicle with the stolen plate from a different vehicle. Statistics show that Ford F-150 and F-250 licence plates are being stolen more often than other vehicle licence plates, although licence plates from a variety of vehicles have been reported as stolen. We would encourage members of the public to check licence plates frequently, and report any thefts to police.
Crime prevention involves the whole community. The Regina Police Service is asking the public to adopt the following crime-prevention strategies:
- Always lock your vehicle doors.
- Remove valuables from your vehicle, including spare keys or key-fobs, and garage door openers.
- If possible, park in well-lit, non-secluded areas.
- If you see suspicious activity, call police at 306-777-6500.
There is no solution that is 100% effective in eliminating crime. However, prevention, which can discourage potential thieves, takes only minutes. Crime prevention is always a good investment. If you see suspicious activity, give us a call at 306-777-6500. In an emergency, or if you see a crime in progress, call 911.
