An OPP cruiser at the London detachment off Exeter Road.
Stolen vehicle reports are up 18% in Huron County.
66 vehicles have been reported stolen so far this year up from 56 last year.
Over half of the incidents have been because vehicles were left unlocked or where the ignition key was left in the vehicle or accessible
Two simple tips can help keep your vehicle safe: always lock your vehicle and always pocket your keys.
Local stats suggest that the most common stolen vehicle is a pickup truck, most thefts take place at night, and 58% were recovered but four were involved in crashes and 3 others were destroyed by fire.
More safety tips can be found below:
- Do not leave your keys in your vehicle or unprotected at the front entrance of your home, barn or garage. Thieves can use wireless transmitters to intercept the signal, giving them access to the vehicle. Consider storing fobs in a protective box or bag that blocks the signal.
- Do not leave your vehicle running when unattended.
- Lock your vehicle and close all windows when parked.
- Park in a well-lit area or in a locked garage.
- Consider using a deterrent like a steering wheel or brake lock.
- Treat your keys like cash – Don’t leave keys in places where they are easy to steal such as a gym locker, on your desk at work, in an open purse or unattended in a shopping cart.
- Don’t leave personal information, like insurance or ownership documents in the glove box when parked.
- Never leave anything in your vehicle in plain view such as loose change, cell phones, cameras, clothing, gifts, alcohol, cigarettes, gifts, medication, firearms, or any other valuables.
- Install an immobilizing device which prevents thieves from bypassing the ignition and hot-wiring a vehicle.
- Install a tracking device that emits a signal to police or a monitoring station if a vehicle is stolen.
