Vancouver police offering free security clubs for older vehicle owners

Vancouver police are offering owners of older cars free security clubs in order to combat the rising number of stolen vehicles.

Police telling owners of older cars to 'put a club on it'

CBC News ·
Vancouver police say clubs like these are the most effective way to prevent the theft of older vehicles that don't have modern anti-theft technology. (Mike Laanela/CBC)

Vancouver police are giving away 1,000 free security clubs in order to combat the rising number of stolen vehicles.

According to Const. Jason Doucette the most popular car for thieves are older Honda Civics and Accords which lack modern anti-theft devices like immobilizers or car alarms.

Despite there being fewer older cars on the road, the number of stolen vehicles continues to rise slowly each year, hitting 1,495 in 2017.

"The majority of stolen vehicles that we recover do not have anti-theft technology, and, in most instances, the stolen vehicles have been used to commit another crime, said Doucette.

"Typically we'll see that vehicle will be stolen. We'll see a series of break-and-enters and then they get dumped off and the cycle starts itself again.We'll often find these stolen vehicles dumped with stolen property in them."

"Simply making your car harder to steal can reduce overall crime in the city," he said.

The top ten most commonly stolen vehicles in Vancouver are:

  1. Honda Civic/CRX (pre-2000)
  2. Honda Accord (pre-1996)
  3. Jeep Cherokee/Grand Cherokee (pre 2000)
  4. Ford F-150XLT (all years)
  5. Ford Econoline E250 (pre 2013)
  6. Honda CRV (1997-1999)
  7. Toyota Corolla (all years)
  8. Dodge Caravan (pre 2006)
  9. Acura Integra (1992-1996)
  10. Ford F250 Supercab (1997-2004)

The free vehicle locks, which have been provided by the Vancouver Police Foundation and ICBC, are available at the following community policing centres:

  • Collingwood CPC – 5160 Joyce Street
  • Hastings Sunrise CPC – 2620 East Hastings Street
  • Kitsilano-Fairview CPC – unit 78, 1687 West Broadway Avenue
  • Granville Downtown CPC – 1263 Granville Street

In addition, volunteers will be looking for vulnerable vehicles parked on city streets and will provide owners with vouchers that can be exchanged for an anti-theft device at a community policing centre, said Doucette.