Toronto police suggest making it easy for thieves to steal vehicles by leaving keys accessible
Canada’s Soaring Car Theft Rates: A Billion-Dollar Headache for Insurers
Imagine a country where every six minutes, a vehicle vanishes. That’s the reality for Canadians, where the car theft epidemic is hitting insurers with a hefty annual $1.2 billion bill. The Canadian Finance and Leasing Association’s 2023 report paints a grim picture of the situation.
Toronto’s Unconventional Anti-Theft Advice
In a surprising move, the Toronto Police Service has put forth a controversial suggestion to combat this issue: residents should consider keeping their car keys right at their front door, intentionally accessible for thieves.
“They’re breaking into your home to steal your car. They don’t want anything else.” – Ian Miles Cheong (@stillgray)
This tactic is meant to thwart potentially dangerous confrontations. “To prevent the possibility of being attacked in your home, leave your fobs at your front door because they’re breaking into your home to steal your car. They don’t want anything else,” explained Constable Marco Ricciardi at a community safety meeting in Etobicoke.
The constable’s warning comes with a chilling addendum about the armed nature of these criminals: “A lot that we’re arresting have guns on them, and they’re not toy guns. They’re real guns. They’re loaded.”
Critics Chime in Amidst Police Budget Concerns
The rising concern couldn’t be more timely as the Toronto Police Association flagged police understaffing and the critical need for a bigger budget earlier in January. A notable ad highlighted the issue, featuring a distress call that underscored the severity of delayed police response times.
- “Almost 4,000 calls to 911 every day,”
- “Response times for police reached a staggering 22 minutes in 2023 and are still climbing.”
Despite their intention, the ad and the recent advice about car keys have both sparked backlash and satire online, with comments ranging from skepticism to outright disbelief.
Social media reactions ranged from critical to sarcastic:
- “Why stop there? Put up a sign advertising it. Oh, and don’t forget to fill up the gas tank to avoid inconveniencing them,” jested one user in response to the theft prevention advice.
- “Leave your money on the doorstep too; perhaps they’ll need it for gas. You wouldn’t want to be held responsible for armed robbery at a gas station,” quipped another.
The dialogue continues as Canadians grapple with these unconventional strategies to keep their cars and themselves safe. This unprecedented scenario reflects deeper issues around public safety and police resourcing that still await resolution.
For more insights from the frontline of Canada’s battle against car theft, follow continuing coverage.
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