(File photo/northeastNOW)

By Cam Lee

Lock your doors

Be careful when letting vehicles run during cold weather: Melfort RCMP

Jan 11, 2024 | 1:00 PM

The colder temperatures mean most of us are warming up our vehicles before driving away.

But Melfort’s RCMP detachment commander is cautioning drivers about the dangers of leaving vehicles unsecured while doing so.

Staff Sergeant Ryan Case told northeastNOW that there is always a possibility that a running, unlocked vehicle could be stolen. However, that’s not where the concerns end.

“As soon as somebody steals that vehicle it becomes…any stolen vehicle on the road becomes a risk to public safety,” Case explained. “These are thieves, they honestly don’t really care what they’re doing at that point in time, and they become a tool of the crime trade once they’re stolen.”

Case said it’s also common for thieves to use the vehicles in other thefts or crimes.

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An unsecured vehicle of any kind is a much easier target, according to Case, and some thieves won’t want to actually smash a window to gain access because the noise attracts unwanted attention. The speed of an easy-access theft is also a huge benefit for thieves.

“The more time that they spend around a vehicle or doing something, obviously it increases the chances that they’re going to get caught,” Case explained.

Another benefit of locking doors and not leaving keys in the vehicle is the reduced workload for the RCMP. Case said it would be a huge time-saver for members not to have to respond to those calls and to be able to put their efforts elsewhere.

“Secure your property, lock your vehicle, lock your doors, leave [home] lights on, do everything to distract these criminals from creating unnecessary victims within our communities,” he added.

Case said it’s also very important to remove any valuables from within your vehicles.