High rates of vehicle thefts continue to plague Calgary

CALGARY (660NEWS) — It’s a dubious honour for Calgary.

The city has some of the highest rates of vehicle thefts after a record-breaking year in 2018.

Calgary police say are trying to tackle it on multiple fronts.

“Certainly a challenge for us in Calgary in 2017 and 2018 were both significant,” says Staff Sgt. Graeme Smiley, who is with the Auto Theft Team.

Smiley says the numbers are down a little bit to start this year, but with a combination of organized crime and drug use playing a role, it remains unpredictable.

“It’s really crimes of opportunity that are more numerous, but if you combine it all together that poses a significant challenge for us for sure.”

There’s seasonal challenges such as people leaving cars running in the winter.

Smiley says there are ways you can help throughout the year.

“Getting into a routine or a habit of bringing your garage door opener for example into the home or not hanging keys right by the door. Small things that could can make an impact,” Smiley added.

Through the first six months of this year, there have been more than 3,100 vehicle thefts or attempts.

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