Drivers are being warned about the dangers of theft - including identity theft - from leaving vehicles unlocked and valuables in plain sight, especially during the holiday season.
The annual 'Lock it or Lose it' campaign by the Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police encourages drivers to take precautions to protect their vehicles and vehicle contents from theft.
During the campaign auxiliary officers will examine parked vehicles to confirm that they are locked and that no valuables have been left in plain view.
They will place small notices on vehicles that have been checked, to indicate what safety precautions were neglected and to offer simple crime-prevention tips.
Drivers who have secured their vehicles will receive notices congratulating them for their actions.
Police are urging motorists not to keep documents including: vehicle ownerships, liability pink slips, credit card invoices, and passports in their vehicles when unoccupied as identity thieves look for such documents.
The documents are then used to assume identities, secure credit card accounts, and even take out mortgages on victims’ properties without their knowledge - and they may not be caught until it is too late.
The number of stolen vehicles has dropped dramatically recently, with 4,500 fewer motor vehicle thefts in 2012 than there were in 2011, and a 57 per cent drop from a decade ago.
Still, there are concerns that in 2012 there were 12,739 incidents of identity theft and identity fraud reported to police, a five per cent increase over those reported in 2011.
More details about preventing auto theft can be found at: www.ibc.ca/en/Insurance_Crime/Auto_Theft/
