News Coverage

We've all probably done it - hidden a purse or wallet in the car, while you've taken the dog for a walk, hoping car thieves aren't active in that park. Or left a purchase in the backseat, while you ran into another store. Or, perhaps you've left your tools in your work van overnight, waking up at 5am to find the window smashed, and your livelihood suddenly gone.

Police have a new way to deter thieves and help protect vehicle owners. BC’s Bait Car Program now includes 'bait property.' The Bait Car Program, run by the Integrated Municipal Provincial Auto Crime Team (IMPACT), is recognized as the largest of its kind in the world. Since IMPACT beganoperating in 2003, auto theft in BC is down 73%.

“The IMPACT program has been wildly successfully over the last ten years, with a 73 per cent reduction in auto theft since the introduction of bait cars. I am very proud of the dedicated team of officers and the work they do. I am confident that the bait property program will be equally as successful as our bait vehicle program,” said Shirley Bond, Minister of Justice and Attorney General.

This February, as in past years, IMPACT is celebrating Auto Crime Enforcement month in BC, by releasing its list of top ten car thieves. That list now includes thieves who’ve stolen from vehicles. And this year if thieves do break into a bait vehicle, and steal property, police will be tracking and monitoring that property, leading them straight to the thief.

Since IMPACT began releasing it annual Top Ten list, 85 of the 90 top ten car thieves have been apprehended.

“Thieves already know, that if they steal a bait car, they’ll go to jail,” says RCMP Inspector Gary Shinkaruk, of the integrated IMPACT team. “With the kind of evidence we're able to put before judges, the program has been tremendously successful at putting car thieves behind bars. But there’s a new message we need to get out to thieves now – steal FROM a bait car, go to jail.”

The shift in focus from IMPACT comes as police analyzed statistics from 2012. In the last four months of the year, police across BC identified a slight increase in thefts from vehicles compared to previous years. Bait vehicles throughout BC have now been upgraded with the latest audio and video technology to address the issue of theft from vehicles. Bait property will look no different than any other property thieves may find in vehicles, and may range from tool boxes to a gym bag. The difference is it can be tracked and monitored by police.

“Our customers have done an excellent job of helping police reduce auto crime by using anti-theft devices. However, thieves are constantly looking for any opportunity so we're reminding customers to remain vigilant in protecting themselves from auto crime,” said Jill Blacklock, ICBC's road safety delivery manager.

IMPACT is also releasing the list of top ten items stolen from vehicles. They are: smartphones, personal electronics, such as laptops, work tools, credit cards and ID, stereo equipment, cash and change, car parts, garage door openers, sunglasses and keys.

Thieves who break into a bait vehicle to steal property will be seen live on video at E-Comm-9-1-1, the regional emergency communications centre for southwest British Columbia. E-Comm 9-1-1 monitors all bait cars in British Columbia, 24/7 on behalf of participating police.

Top Ten lists and video are at www.baitcar.com, including:

• Top Ten list of car thieves
• Top Ten stolen vehicles in BC by region
• Top Ten ways to protect your belongings

Footage of alleged thieves stealing from a bait car, or a video of E-Comm tracking stolen bait property is available for media at www.sendtonews.com

Sgt. Peter Thiessen
Senior Media Relations Officer
BC RCMP Communication Services
Lower Mainland District RCMP

#200-7485 130 St.
Surrey BC V3W 2V6

Office: 604-598-4274
Cel: 604-614-6177

Follow Sgt Thiessen on Twitter @lmdrcmp
www.bc.rcmp.ca

Four of the Top 10 Wanted Car Thieves have been arrested and two of them couldn’t take the stress of being on the list and turned themselves in.

On March 15th, 43 year old Mark Winston Berry turned himself in on his warrants to the Surrey Provincial courthouse.

On March 15th, 34 year old Kevin Michael Beech was arrested in Whalley by IMPACT, The Surrey Auto Crime Target Team and the Surrey RCMP Neighbourhood Liaison Unit.

On March 22nd, 42 year old Todd Joseph Savoie turned himself in on his warrants to the Surrey Provincial courthouse.

On March 24th, 32 year old Million Gerbe Radia was arrested at the Boulevard Casino in Coquitlam after security staff recognized him from the published Top 10 Wanted list.

We are once again asking the public to call their local police if they know the whereabouts of any of the six remaining wanted car thieves or to call Crime Stoppers if they wish to remain anonymous.

Not even a bad hair dye job could prevent an IMPACT Top 10 Wanted Car Thief from being arrested yesterday in Surrey.

Early last evening police were actively scouting out areas frequented by 34 year old Kevin Michael Beech who was named a week ago as one of IMPACT’s Top 10 Wanted Car Thieves. Police officers from IMPACT, the Surrey RCMP Auto Crime Target Team, the Surrey RCMP Neighbourhood Liaison Unit and the Air One helicopter teamed up and located Beech driving a vehicle with two other male passengers in the Whalley area. With Air One’s extra eyes in the sky, the vehicle’s movements were tracked for a short while before police moved in for the
arrest. Kevin Beech ran from police but was quickly apprehended without incident at about 7:00 P.M..

Beech had dyed his hair to change his appearance after his photo was released to the media but to no avail. He was wanted by both Richmond and Langley RCMP for Break, Enter and Theft, Possession of Stolen Property x2, Possession of a Controlled Substance x2, and Driving While Prohibited.

He was the first Top 10 Wanted Car Wanted Thief arrested on this year’s list and we are asking the public for their assistance in locating the remaining nine. If anyone has information on the whereabouts of those remaining on the list, they are asked to call their local police or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477) if they wish to remain anonymous.

March 8th, 2012

Hundreds of car thieves who have been arrested in Bait Cars probably won’t be joining the police and public in celebrating the tenth anniversary of the Bait Car Program in British Columbia.

The first Bait Car Program was launched in 2002 by the Vancouver Police Department in response to a growing auto theft problem at the time.  When auto theft statistics peaked in 2003, the Integrated Municipal Provincial Auto Crime Team (IMPACT) was formed and followed suit, developing an even larger program to cover the entire province.  In addition to being deployed on the streets of your city or town, Bait Cars have worked around the Pacific National Exhibition, at the World Police and Fire Games and even kept your vehicles and belongings safe when you parked to attend an event at the 2010 Winter Olympic Games.

Cars and trucks were the first ‘bait’ to hit the streets, but over the years the bait fleet has been expanded to include ATV’s, snowmobiles, various watercraft, motorcycles and manufactured trailers. 

Today, IMPACT has expanded the Bait fleet even further with the announcement of the addition of commercial vehicles which includes construction equipment and working commercial vans.  These latest additions are in response to an ongoing commercial vehicle theft problem and should reduce the victimization of people who rely on these vehicles for their livelihood. “Our Bait Car Program is a recognized leader among jurisdictions, and I am very proud of the dramatic decline in auto crime we’ve achieved over the past ten years. We’ve actually caught 77 of the 80 most wanted car thieves in that time,” said Minister of Justice and Attorney General Shirley Bond. “Adding commercial vehicles to the fleet is our latest strategy to keep current with auto crime trends and to protect not just B.C. families’ property but also their livelihood.”

ICBC provides funding for IMPACT through the Province of B.C.’s Police Services Division.  With the continued generous support from ICBC, police and the Province of B.C., the Bait Car strategy, in part, has had a dramatic effect on auto crime rates here in our province.  “ICBC invests in auto crime prevention because it’s the right thing to do - safer roads and less crime help make our communities safer,” said Fiona Temple, ICBC director road safety. “Every theft we prevent also prevents someone from being a victim of crime. Anyone who has been victimized by a car thief knows too well that it is much more than an inconvenience.” Auto theft has been reduced 71% over the past eight years and thefts from vehicles have been reduced 64% over that same eight year period.  Our message has been consistently clear – ‘Steal a Bait Car – Go to Jail’.

It’s hard to believe that ten short years ago the Bait Car program was a diamond in the rough, and today we are celebrating the 10 year anniversary of the largest Bait Car Program in the world!
 

Just when thieves thought they had found another way to rip off the public by stealing trailers and selling them privately through ads and on internet sites, the Integrated Municipal Provincial Auto Crime Team (IMPACT) launched Bait Trailers as part of their Bait fleet.

A host of different types of trailers are now armed with hidden GPS technology and will be planted throughout British Columbia just waiting to be stolen. They will look just like any other trailer and will come in many makes, models, sizes and colours.

This is a video of the very first Bait Trailer arrest. Not only were the suspects being monitored by GPS, the Air One helicopter with infrared cameras was tracking them from the sky.

Steal a Trailer -- You'll Go See the Jailer!