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RCMP News Release

Red Deer RCMP remind homeowners to protect their homes and vehicles

January 11, 2022 2:39 PM

Red Deer, Alta. – Red Deer RCMP are reminding homeowners to take active steps to protect their property by protecting their vehicles, including removing their garage door openers.

“We’ve had two recent incidents where criminals entered unlocked vehicles and took the garage door openers,” says Cpl. Mike Evans, Red Deer RCMP Community Policing Unit. “They then used these openers to access the garage at a later time, which resulted in further theft from the property.”

Criminals rely on stolen vehicles and theft from automobiles to commit other crimes such as property crime and identify fraud. By locking your car and keeping your valuables out of sight, you are protecting your vehicle from theft and vandalism and helping to keep your community safe.

While theft of motor vehicles in Red Deer has drop significantly in the last five years, there is always more that can be done to prevent this type of crime of opportunity, including:

  • Always lock your vehicle,
  • Never leave an unlocked vehicle idling while unattended,
  • Keep valuables out of sight, including garage door openers and insurance papers,
  • When possible, program the garage door into your vehicle, eliminating the need for a separate garage door opener unit,
  • Consider purchasing a Smart Plug which will allow you to control the garage door from an app,
  • Make sure to lock both the overhead garage door as well as the door that connects the garage to the house,
  • Consider unplugging your garage door if you will be away for an extended period of time,
  • Never leave a wallet or purse in a vehicle.

The Red Deer RCMP also encourages Red Deerians to report all crime and suspicious activity, no matter how small it may seem. This allows the RCMP to track activity, identify patterns, and plan resources. You can report online by visiting https://ocre-sielc.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/alberta/, or by calling the non-emergency police line at 403-343-5575.

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Media contact:

Red Deer RCMP

Canada