Dawson Creek RCMP warn against leaving running cars unattended

DAWSON CREEK, B.C. — Police say a vehicle stolen in Dawson Creek on Wednesday was the third incident involving an unattended running automobile in just over two weeks.

Police say on March 6th at around 9 a.m., a driver left their pickup unattended in the area of 97th Avenue in Dawson Creek. The driver eventually came back to their truck, and it was gone.

According to the vehicle’s owner, the truck contained tools and equipment, as well as a pair of cell phones, the driver’s ID and wallet.

The total value of the truck and these items is allegedly $100,000.

Sergeant Shawn Peddle of the Dawson Creek RCMP confirmed a pair of trucks were stolen in Dawson Creek on February 26th, which were later recovered.

Peddle is asking residents not to leave their vehicles unattended while they are running.

“People are leaving their keys in their vehicle,” said Peddle. “We encourage the public to secure their vehicle.”

“Whether you’re running into a coffee shop or a grocery store, make sure you secure your vehicle.”

There have been reports that four vehicles have been stolen in the city over the past two weeks, but the Dawson Creek RCMP was only able to confirm three.

Energeticcity.ca reached out to Fort St. John RCMP to see if a similar trend has occurred in the city, but did not receive comment before publication.

Auto theft has been on the rise nationwide. According to the Insurance Bureau of Canada, more than 105,000 vehicles were stolen in 2022, or an average of one every five minutes.

In February, the federal government committed $15 million to combat car theft. This includes funding for law enforcement to increase capacity in obtaining custody of stolen vehicles.