The Alberta Motor Association is warning motorists to lock their vehicles and remove valuables after a spike in automobile thefts.That’s because 57 vehicles are stolen everyday and another 95 are broken into, according to statistics from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. In 2022, 20,725 cars were stolen, up 17% year-over-year and accounting for one in five thefts nationwide behind Saskatchewan.Of those, more than 5,000 were in Calgary, one of the highest rates in Canada..“Even if you’re only gone for a moment, theft is often a crime of opportunity — and thieves will seize that opportunity faster than you may think.” Jeff Kasbrick Alberta Motor Association.That doesn’t include 34,750 break-ins, which is second only to Manitoba. All three also happen to be the frostiest regions of the country, with the highest incidences of drive-and-dashes from leaving cars running in cold conditions.According to police about half of all vehicles are stolen with the keys in them when they are left unattended in places such as convenience stores or even in the driveway.“With vehicle theft and theft from vehicles continuing to rise, our message to Albertans is clear: lock your vehicles and hide your valuables,” says Jeff Kasbrick, the AMA’s vice-president of advocacy and operations.“Even if you’re only gone for a moment, theft is often a crime of opportunity — and thieves will seize that opportunity faster than you may think.”.The Mounties are also cautioning people not to leave documents with sensitive personal information in the car, which can lead to further crimes such as home invasions and residential break-ins.“The misuse of this information can leave victims of vehicle theft only more vulnerable and could lead to further crime. Simple crime prevention practices can reduce the risk of theft and save you a lot of time, money and stress,” added Staff Sgt. Luke Halvorson.While most thefts are characterized as crimes of opportunity, police are also noticing an increase in thefts related to organized crime where cars are stolen for the purpose of ‘re-vinning’ the vehicle identification numbers and shipping them overseas.In September, Edmonton police charged two people with theft and seized two Ferraris worth almost $1 million that had been stolen in Ontario and re-registered in Alberta.
