The Vancouver Police Department arrested more than 25 suspects and recommended over 80 charges during a month long “theft from auto” project in downtown Vancouver leading up to the Christmas holidays.
There was an increase in the number of reports made to the VPD about items stolen from vehicles in November 2017 when compared to November 2016 – the number of complaints rose from 892 to 1,238. In an attempt to curb the amount of break-ins, a group of officers were brought together in the weeks before the holiday season to focus on parking locations known to be targeted by property crime offenders.
“This project focused on parking lots in the downtown core where we’ve seen the highest number of theft reports,” says Constable Jason Doucette, VPD. “Theft from auto is a preventable crime and we all have a role to play in decreasing the number of break-ins. We watched suspects go from car to car in search of property. Do not leave anything visible in your vehicle.”
Suspects were monitored and arrested after the necessary evidence was collected. Once in custody, it was discovered that many suspects were allegedly repeat offenders and committing additional offences such as being in possession of stolen property, and breaching court imposed conditions.
The public are encouraged to familiarize themselves with GeoDash, an interactive mapping tool intended to enhance community awareness of policing activity in Vancouver, and to go to vpd.ca for additional crime prevention tips.
