Within the face of an alarming rise in automotive thefts, Toronto Police Service (TPS) Constable Marco Ricciardi has supplied a controversial tip to residents: depart automotive keys within the entrance door to keep away from violent residence invasions.
Throughout a community safety meeting in Etobicoke, Constable Ricciardi addressed the difficulty, stating, “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.”
Briefly, don’t make it exhausting for thieves to steal your automotive. That is what an unarmed society appears to be like like.
This suggestion has come as Toronto grapples with a automotive theft fee that sees a car stolen each six minutes, a pricey crime spree racking up practically $1 billion yearly, based on the Canadian Finance and Leasing Affiliation (CFLA).
Toronto has witnessed a 400% surge in residence invasions and break-ins for auto thefts, underscoring a troubling pattern of elevated violence and using firearms by criminals focusing on automobiles, Global News reported.
Toronto Police Service launched the next assertion:
An officer at a current neighborhood assembly prompt that individuals depart the keys to their car in a faraday bag by the entrance door. Whereas effectively that means, there are additionally different methods to forestall auto theft motivated residence invasions. For extra context, in Toronto, residence invasions and break and enters for auto theft occurrences rose 400 p.c in 2023. Police are involved about an escalation in violence, the place all kinds of weapons and firearms are getting used to steal automobiles, and that features throughout residence invasions. Whereas Toronto Police have at all times suggested the general public to prioritize your security over your car, listed here are methods members of the general public can defend themselves, their houses and their automobiles:
- Park automobiles in storage, if potential
- Guarantee your driveway is effectively lit and preserve exterior lights on all night time
- Safety cameras are an asset
- If potential, set up a house safety system – activate alarm on STAY when residence and AWAY when out
- Contemplate having a movement detection alarm related to your cellphone
- Put safety movie on glass home windows and doorways
- Have multipoint door locks in your doorways
- Hold yard gates locked and floor home windows secured
- Don’t publish on social media when you’ll be away on vacation
- Report suspicious automobiles/individuals within the neighbourhood to police
The TPS’s recommendation to go away keys in a faraday bag by the entrance door, which might stop the keys from being remotely accessed by thieves, has certainly sparked debate.
Former litigator, Viva Frei on X wrote, “Welcome to Justin Trudeau’s Canada. Where guns are illegal. Except criminals have them, and you don’t. And the police are imploring you to leave your keys at the front door so armed criminals can steal your cars, and hopefully spare your life. It’s been a while since I’ve said it, but FUCK YOU Justin Trudeau!”
Welcome to @JustinTrudeau’s Canada.
The place weapons are unlawful. Besides criminals have them, and also you don’t.
And the police are imploring you to go away your keys on the entrance door so armed criminals can steal your vehicles, and hopefully spare your life.
It’s been some time since I’ve stated… pic.twitter.com/I24IhC1LNF
— Viva Frei (@thevivafrei) March 14, 2024
