Police Issue A Warning After Several Vancouver Purse Snatchings
How to prevent automobile theft? A series of recent thefts and purse snatchings have led to Vancouver police issuing a public warning. Recently there have been several purse snatchings as well as an unrelated series of thefts involving slashed tires and other activities meant to be distractions.The purse snatching victims were all walking on the street or waiting at a bus stop when they were approached by a man and had their purses stolen. The man used a knife or other physical force during the thefts.
Police also warned of an unrelated rash of “distraction thefts.” At least two dozen of these thefts have taken place recently. Read our tips on how to prevent automobile theft. In most of the attacks, the criminals worked in groups. They pinpointed a specific person coming out of a bank, currency exchange or jewellery store and followed them until they left the premises. Then, some members of the group distracted the person while the others robbed them.
In a recent attack a woman returned to her car to find that she had a flat tire. A man approached her saying that he was going to help. Instead he smashed her window and stole her purse. He then jumped into a van driven by another man and left the scene. Vancouver police said that this incident was the 26th time in the past two years that a similar “tire slash” situation had been used to rob someone.
Police noted that flat tires are a rare occurence and that if you notice a flat tire while you are carrying a large amount of money or expensive purchases that you should call the police right away.
There are a few things you can do to protect yourself from becoming the victim of a purse snatching crime, or similar theft, or to prevent automobile theft.
You should always carry your purse, wallet or bag close to you and tucked away if possible. You may want to skip the purse all together if you can. You should only bring what you need with you as this will make it easier to carry your items discretely. It also helps to avoid carrying large sums of money if you can avoid doing so. If you feel that you are being followed or feel uncomfortable in a particular situation, try to get out of that situation as soon as possible. Cross the street or leave the area as soon as you can. Stay in well-lit and busy areas whenever possible.
If you are planning on withdrawing a large amount of money from the bank or going to make an expensive purchase, travel with with a friend or relative whenever you can. Criminals are much less likely to attack a pair than a single person.
Armoured Truck Robbed In Toronto
On Friday November 18 an amoured truck was robbed in Toronto. Two armed security guards were outside of a bank branch when they were approached by three armed men. The men stole the guards’ firearms and an undisclosed amount of cash while holding the guards at gunpoint. Nobody was injured in the robbery.“It’s an organized job. There’s no doubt about it. These guys are armed and they’re confronting guards who are armed, which could end in a whole variety of different situations,” said Staff Insp. Michael Earl of the Toronto police.
The criminals escaped from the site in a U-Haul van that was driven by a fourth member of the group. The van’s license plate was covered up and the criminals were wearing ski masks to conceal their identities.
“A large quantity of money was taken” in the heist which took only “a matter of minutes, said Earl. “These guards were ambushed, right in the open.”
He also noted that there is no evidence that this was an inside job.
As the guards were robbed of their guns, police are concerned that the weapons may be used in future crimes. The police are asking for tips from the public. They are accepting tips by phone, text message or Facebook. You can submit a tip anonymously by calling Crime Stoppers.
Police noted that this robbery was much more organized than most and that they are currently reviewing surveillance footage in order to look for clues.
Video surveillance cameras can often provide law enforcement with crucial evidence that they can use to identify suspects as well as during court proceedings. For more information, please visit the security cameras section on our website.
Ontario Provincial Police List Simple Ways To Prevent Automobile Theft
The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) are reminding drivers that there are a few simple things you can do to prevent your car, truck, van or all terrain vehicle (ATV) from being stolen.The OPP states that their statistics show that many criminals choose to steal vehicles based on how easy they are to get into and steal. In most cases this means cars that have their doors unlocked and ATVs that have the keys in the ignitition.
The “Lock It Or Lose It” campaign is a crime prevention campaign that is aimed at educating the public and letting them know that there are simple things that can be done to prevent automobile theft. Here are a few tips from the OPP’s campaign:
- Always roll up your windows completely when leaving your car,
- Keep your valuables out of sight.
- Make sure that you lock your car doors whenever you leave it unattended.
- Make sure you put your keys in your pocket and not out where they are visible.
Automobile theft costs Canadians more than $1 billion a year. In addition, about half of all stolen vehicles are later used to commit a separate crime. Police stress that in the cases thieves usually look for the easiest car to steal as they do not care about anything other than transportation. Taking a few simple precautions to make your vehicle more difficult to steal can keep your vehicle safe and prevent automobile theft.
Be Aware of Holiday Scams
The holiday season is an incredibly busy time for most people. For many it also involves heading out to crowded stores and carrying expensive purchases around. It is also a time for giving. Unfortunately, some people see these circumstances as the perfect time to commit crimes and scams.To avoid being scammed, the basic concept of not believing things that seem too good to be true is often a sound strategy. If anyone calls you stating that they need important details from you in order to award a holiday prize, make sure that you do not give away any information without verifying exactly who is calling. Think about whether or not what they are saying sounds realistic. If possible, ask for a phone number and tell the person that you will call them back. Look up the number online and verify that it actually belongs to the right organization before doing anything else.
Many other holiday scams take place online. If you find a website that is offering exceptionally good deals, do some groundwork to double check that they are legitimate. Again, if an offer sounds too good to be true, it likely is.
Other online scams come in the form of Craigslist, eBay or Kijiji deals. Some scam artists use these sites to attract victims. If you are buying an item online, research the dealer extensively and read all feedback available. A common scam is to take money from a person and never ship the items they paid for. Another trick is to offer to meet a buyer in person and then rob them of their money. If you ever meet someone in person to pick up an item, meet in a public place and bring someone with you to be safe.
In addition, many people take advantage of the spirit of the season to create fake charities and steal money. Before donating money to any charity, verify the agency with the Better Business Bureau, the IRS or the Canada Revenue Agency, depending on where you are located.
Keeping your wits about you and doing research before parting with your money can keep you from becoming the victim of a holiday scam.
SafeTech’s 2011 City Crime Report Now Available
Protect yourself! Find out where and what type of crime is happening in your neighbourhood and your city with SafeTech’s 2011 City Crime Report. Use the 2011 City Crime Report to:- Determine exactly where crime is happening in Canada
- Examine the types of crime taking place in your region and across the country
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- Understand the overall crime situation in this country
SafeTech Alarm Systems has been protecting people and property for over 20 years. We have compiled crime statistics from across Canada, broken them down by province and city and presented them in a straightforward manner that will help keep you safe! To receive a free copy of SafeTech Alarm Systems’ Canadian City Crime Report 2011, please click here.
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