Durham Regional Police Service (DRPS) is on a campaign to help prevent vehicle thefts across Durham during the ongoing Ontario’s Crime Prevention Week, which is running from November 6 to 13.
DRPS will spread tips for keeping residents and their property safe. This year’s theme is Safer Communities, Stronger Ontario, and it enables police services to promote the benefits of addressing local crime and issues related to safety and well-being, said a police statement.
Our Community Safety Branch has teamed up with members of our Auxiliary Unit and will be focusing on educating residence about preventing vehicle thefts, said a DRPS statement. They will be visiting various areas throughout the region to share information and give away Faraday key fob bags, kindly donated by the Insurance Board of Canada. Faraday bags can potentially block radio frequencies being intercepted by criminals.
Crime Prevention Week Education Events:
- November 9, 2021, touring residential communities in Pickering/Ajax from 6 pm to 8 p..
- November 10, 2021, touring residential communities in Whitby/Oshawa from 6 pm to 8 pm.
DRPS says while there is no guaranteed prevention against vehicle theft, you can take the following precautions:
- Always park in a well-lit area and or locked garage;
- Never leave an unattended vehicle running with keys inside;
- Consider anti-theft devices such as steering wheel lock or collar;
- Never hide a spare key inside your vehicle or outside your home;
- When not in use, place your key fob inside a radio frequency shielding pouch (Faraday Bag) to block cell signals;
- Never place or hang or leave keys directly inside the front door or near windows;
- Consider placing keys on your bedside table, as long as it’s not near a window. The key fob can also be activated as an alert alarm, if you hear or see suspicious activity outside your home at night.
Insurance Board of Canada is actually The INSURANCE BUREAU OF CANADA. As of early October, 2021, the Investigative Services Division of I.B.C. is now a single entity, known as Equite Association.