OVER the past week, Abbotsford Police have noticed a significant increase of theft from vehicles in the area of Marshall Road and Emmerson Street and are asking their community to stop making it easy for thieves by removing valuables from your cars. 

The most common items being stolen daily include:

• Wallets / Purses
• Tools
• Sunglasses
• Electronics

Abbotsford Police are using significant police and volunteer resources to combat these thefts, however they continue to note that residents are regularly leaving valuables in the cars, creating easy targets for criminals. 

Over the past month, the thefts in this area seem to be mainly between two target times:  10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and 9 p.m. to 4 a.m. 

Police suggest that residents double check  when parking their cars to ensure handbags, mobile phones, GPS’s, dashcams, computers and coins are either out of sight or removed altogether from their vehicles.

There are some simple tips to prevent theft from your vehicle:

• Remove all valuables (handbags, mobile phones, GPS’s, dashcams, computers, coins, shopping bags, cigarettes, etc.) from your vehicle
• Never leave a spare vehicle or house key in your vehicle
• When parked, lock your doors and roll up your windows
• Protect your insurance and registration documents as well as your garage door opener. (Carry them in your wallet or conceal them.  However, ensure the documents are in the vehicle when out and about in the event you are stopped by police or are in an accident)
• Install a car alarm, or use steering wheel locking device
• If you must keep valuables in your vehicle, store and cover them in your trunk area.

To view where crime has occurred in your neighborhood, check out the AbbyPD crime map, the department’s interactive crime mapping tool, at https://www.abbypd.ca/crime-mapping .

Be aware of strangers in your neighbourhood and report all suspicious activity, even minor incidents such as change stolen from a car overnight. To report, call 604-859-5225 or text on your mobile phone to 222973.