A smash and grab from a parked car in East Trail serves yet another reminder that valuables are not safe when left in sight, even if the vehicle is locked up tight.
RCMP Sgt. Mike Wicentowich says the detachment received a report on Monday, that sometime during the night, a vehicle in the 1700 block of Second Avenue was broken into by an unknown suspect.
A Sirius satellite radio and radar detector were stolen after the front passenger-side window of the car was intentionally shattered.
“Both items that were stolen were visible and in reach of the smashed window,” he explained. “The RCMP warn the public not to leave any valuables inside their vehicles and to remove any items of value from view.”
Someone smashing a vehicle window is unusual in the Trail area, Wicentowich added.
“This type of occurrence is not yet widespread, (however) it is preventable by removing items of value from the vehicle or from view.”
This latest theft ties into what statistics reveal in a summary of third quarter crimes, which was released by the Trail and Greater District police earlier this week.
According to reported incidents dating from July to September, the detachment received 44 calls related to “theft from motor vehicle.”
This number is up from 11 cases reported in the same time period last year.
Furthermore, in the first nine months of 2019, the total number of reported theft from vehicles stands at 68. This has more than doubled since last year, when the respective number was 27.
newsroom@trailtimes.ca
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