23 Dec Don’t gift your vehicle to car thieves
The police officers of the Sûreté du Québec (S.Q.) serving the Montérégie, Estrie and Centre-du-Québec regions, having observed several cases of vehicle theft over the past year, wish to remind the population living in their territory and around the Greater Montreal area of a few prevention tips. Most reported cases involve sport utility vehicles (SUVs), 4x4s such as Jeeps, or recent luxury pickup trucks.
- It is important to always: lock your vehicle doors, close your windows, sunroof and not leave any valuables in sight, even when your vehicle is parked at home;
- Avoid leaving your keys, insurance and registration certificates in the vehicle;
- At home, do not leave your keys near the front door and preferably store them in a metal case, especially if your vehicle is equipped with an electronic system (push button) to start the car;
- Never leave your vehicle running while unattended;
- Park your vehicle in a well-lit area;
- Depending on your budget, there are methods to prevent vehicle theft or help locate a stolen vehicle. For example, place another vehicle in front to block the exit, install an anti-theft security bar on the steering wheel, have the vehicle parts marked or have a tracking system installed to trace a stolen vehicle. You can ask your insurance company about this.
FOR IMMEDIATE ASSISTANCE OR TO REPORT A THEFT
Emergency: 9-1-1;
For municipalities served by the S.Q., dial 310-4141 or *4141 (cell phone);
Local police department.
