A White Rock woman is warning citizens about the increased incidence of theft from vehicles over the holiday season, after her own car was ransacked in her Habgood Street driveway overnight late last month.
Peggy McConnell said “brazen” thieves who checked out her Mercedes walked away with items including Coach sunglasses, Lululemon pants and three tops Nov. 25. While McConnell acknowledged she inadvertently left her car unlocked, she said the items were out of sight, and the culprits had to make more than a passing effort to know they were there.
“The driveway is quite long and the carport is right up at the house,” she had. “They had to walk a good 50 feet.”
In warning her neighbours to be wary, she learned her incident was not the first. One man told her his truck was targeted twice over the summer, she said.
Const. Janelle Shoihet said McConnell’s was one of two vehicle break-ins reported in that area that same night. The second occurred one block east, on Stevens Street.
In both, there were no witnesses and police have no suspects.
As well, both vehicles had been left unsecured.
While a break-in trend linked to the holiday season has not yet been seen, Shoihet advised residents to take extra care to ensure their vehicles are secured and valuables are removed.
“People have excess in their cars this time of year,” Shoihet said. “Just be very cognizant of… if you’re giving people opportunity to get inside your car, this is the time of year they’ll take advantage of it.