Car thefts in B.C. plunging

by Canadian Press posted October 2, 2006 VICTORIA Autonet
The number of cars being stolen in B.C. is dropping dramatically. Solicitor General John Les says auto theft plunged 21 per cent in the Lower Mainland in the first half of this year and 15 per cent across the province. He says even larger reductions in the summer mean the province could end up with the biggest drop in auto theft since the bait car program was introduced in 2004. Last year, auto crime dropped by 11 per cent in the Lower Mainland and eight per cent provincewide. The bait car program is being credited with much of the reduction, but RCMP Insp. Mike Diack says other factors are involved, including more people using anti-theft devices and police targeting repeat offenders. Bait cars are equipped with global positioning devices, audio-video equipment and sensors and can be shut down remotely once they are stolen.