April is Auto Crime Enforcement Month in B.C., and police marked the occasion by unveiling their annual list of the most wanted auto crime offenders in the province at a Langley press conference.
The Integrated Municipal Provincial Auto Crime Team (IMPACT) and ICBC have announced the annual list for the past several years.
This year, it includes people who are wanted on property crime and auto crime-related offences from around B.C.:
鈥� Maegan Rae Hickey, 33, wanted by the Kamloops and Salmon Arm RCMP for possession of stolen property, theft under $5,000, three counts of possession of stolen property under $5,000, car theft, and taking a vehicle without consent;
鈥� Dane Robert Linton, 37, wanted by the Victoria Police Department for car theft, theft under $5,000, and possession of property obtained by crime over $5,000;
鈥� Jesse James Priore, 39, wanted by police in Prince George, Mackenzie, Salmon Arm, and Quesnel on six warrants, including possession of property obtained by crime, mischief, assault, identity fraud, and seven counts of failing to comply with probation orders;
鈥� Crystal Dawn Turner, 42, wanted by the 麻豆精选 RCMP for car theft, three counts of theft under $5,000, possession of stolen property, and breach of a release order; and
鈥� Ryan James Watters, 33, wanted by the Burnaby RCMP for car theft and unauthorized possession of a firearm.
While not all of them are wanted for car theft, the most wanted offenders are all known to have been involved in auto crime offences, whether car theft or stealing from cars.
People charged with a crime are considered not guilty until convicted in a court of law.
IMPACT is focused on reducing auto crime, and the annual enforcement month includes educating the public about ways to keep their vehicles safer.
This year the theme of Auto Crime Enforcement Month is RETHINK, which stands for Remove valuables, Eliminate opportunities for thieves, Track your car with GPS, Hide your key signal, Invest in anti-theft devices, Never idle unattended, and Keep track of your keys.
Another key this year is fighting back against high-tech auto thieves.
"High tech auto theft is when a suspect uses sophisticated technology steal a vehicle," said IMPACT's acting Insp. Eugene Lum.
At the announcement on Tuesday, Lum showed how thieves can use a data port in modern vehicles to facilitate theft. Modern cars have a plug 鈥� usually under the driver-side dashboard 鈥� for on-board diagnostic devices (OBDs).
If something is wrong with the car, a mechanic will plug in a device to the OBD slot.
But thieves, using mechanics devices, iPads, or laptops, can break into a car, plug in, and shut off alarms and anti-theft electronics. In some cases, they can even create new or reprogrammed key fobs for the vehicle.
The way to prevent that kind of theft is to buy a cheap locking device that fits over the OBD port and requires a key to open. Lum showed how one can be installed in a couple of minutes, and the locks are available at auto parts stores or online.
High-tech thieves remain in the minority in B.C., and overall, auto theft in B.C. is on the decline.
The number of cars stolen in B.C. last year dropped by seven per cent from the year before.
"Typically, these are crimes of opportunity and I'm happy to say that we are not giving criminals these opportunities," said RCMP Asst. Commissioner Brian Edwards.
