A month after the latest in a long line of thefts from Chilliwack Search and Rescue (CSAR) vehicles, Mounties are issuing a reminder to everyone to keep property out of sight when leaving vehicles alone.
There have been half a dozen thefts from CSAR members’ vehicles in the last year, the latest on April 1 when police were called by volunteers who reported thefts in the 52000-block of Chilliwack Lake Road during a training exercise. Equipment and clothing were stolen.
“You believe your property is safe and won’t be stolen and then it happens,” Doug Fraser with CSAR said. “The thefts caused us to change our procedure for storing gear in vehicles on site.”
Mounties reported that some of the items stolen from the CSAR vehicles were located and seized on the evening of April 1 by RCMP officers.
Back in March, CSAR was also hit with thefts.
“Two members had SAR gear stolen from vehicles in the past 2 weeks. 5 since last summer,” said a post on the team’s Facebook page. “Incredibly frustrating! Response suffers! Stop!”
Back in November, the team was also hit, the third time in the previous six months.
As Mounties investigate the latest theft, the public is reminded that no one is safe from theft from vehicles.
“Practising prevention techniques can reduce the opportunity for criminals to commit their crime in our community,” Chilliwack RCMP spokesperson Cpl. Mike Rail said.
Anyone with information regarding the theft from the CSAR vehicles is urged to contact the Chilliwack RCMP.
Some prevention tips to protect your property from theft include:
· Always lock doors when leaving a vehicle alone;
· Ensure valuables are out of sight if left in a vehicle during the day;
· Do not leave valuables in a vehicle overnight;
· Do not leave loose change inside of a vehicle;
· An alarm is an effective deterrent.
RCMP remind everyone who witnesses anything they believe to be suspicious to contact the Chilliwack RCMP at 604-792-4611 or, to remain anonymous, call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS).