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A recent string of thefts from and of motor vehicles has Salmon Arm RCMP warning residents to “lock it or lose it.” Three of the incidents were reported on Friday, Oct. 10. One, reported at 6:35 a.m., involved a vehicle taken from the garage of a 15th Ave. NE residence. The caller said her husband had left for work about 10 minutes earlier, and he’d left the garage door open for her to leave. “When the woman went to her car, it was gone,” said Salmon Arm RCMP spokesperson Const. Andrew Hodges, in a news release, added that a fob had been left in the stolen vehicle. The vehicle was recovered in Salmon Arm on Oct. 15 and sent for forensic identification. A second vehicle theft report came in at 9 a.m. A 2022 pickup truck was reported stolen from a driveway on 3rd Avenue SE. The caller said he last saw the truck around 11 p.m. the night before, and found it missing at 8:30 a.m. the next morning. The vehicle was unlocked and a fob had been left inside, said Hodges, adding “nearby surveillance footage showed a lone unknown person enter the vehicle at 3:48 a.m. However, the video was of poor quality , and police were unable to identify the person. At 11:35 a.m., the truck’s owner called police and said he’d located the vehicle a few blocks away. Hodges said forensic identification was declined. At 9:15 a.m., police received a report of theft from a vehicle. The caller at 23rd Street SE said sometime overnight someone had entered his unlocked 2025 pickup truck and took sunglasses, cash, gift cards, a passport and a utility knife. With these and other incidents, police are encouraging residents to adopt a 9 p.m. “lock-it-or-lose-it” routine. “Salmon Arm RCMP have seen an increase in thefts from motor vehicles and stolen vehicles,” said Hodges. “Almost all of these have been the result of the vehicle being left unlocked, and vehicle keys or fobs left in the vehicle overnight.” The following 9 p.m. routine, said Hodges, can spare you from the headaches of having to cancel stolen bank and credit cards, obtaining a new ID and driver’s licence and losing other valuables: • Remove valuables from your vehicles; • Never leave keys, fobs, wallets, purses, or personal ID in your vehicle; • Lock all vehicle doors and windows; • Close and lock all home windows and doors; • Ensure garage side doors and all windows are locked when not in use; • Secure any bicycles, tools, and outdoor equipment; • Turn on exterior lights; • Install motion-sensor or dusk-to-dawn lights to illuminate entry points and deter intruders; and • Report any suspicious activity in the area. “Watch for individuals peering into vehicles or windows, entering carports or backyards uninvited, checking door handles or gates,” said Hodges. “If you see something suspicious, call the Salmon Arm RCMP non-emergency line at 250-832-6044. If a crime is in progress, always call 9-1-1.” Read more: Prohibited driver doubles down with false name: Salmon Arm RCMP Read more: Increase in vehicle thefts, thefts from vehicles: Salmon Arm RCMP
