One man was arrested and faces charges in connection with breaking into an RCMP bait car.
Just before 4 a.m. July 7 a car alarm was triggered in the downtown Chilliwack area of Corbould Street and Kipp Avenue.
“Bait cars, including some with bait property like electronic devices, are parked around town in areas identified as high risk for auto crime,” said RCMP Cpl. Brock Rayworth. “Opening any bait car door triggers a surveillance camera and alerts our communications center of a potential theft.”
No one was near the car when police arrived, but an alert officer identified a suspicious man.
Cross-checking his face with pictures taken from the bait car, the 22 year old man was arrested at 10:30 that morning.
He was later released pending a future court date where Crown Counsel will recommend a charge of theft under $5,000.
“The RCMP Crime Reduction Unit has access to pickup trucks, cars, water craft, off road vehicles, and trailers from one of the largest Bait Car fleets in the Lower Mainland,” Rayworth noted. “We blend the Bait Cars into the community, constantly replacing our vehicles, the bait property, and changing their locations.”
Here are some helpful tips to avoid being a victim of auto crime.
· Close windows and lock doors and take your possessions with you.
· Avoid parking behind fences or hedges.
· After opening an automatic gate to underground parking, watch for thieves waiting to slip inside and wait for the gate to close behind you.
For more information on the Bait car program visit the Integrated Municipal Provincial Auto Crime website at baitcar.com.