Mounties issue warning after thief takes keys from car, breaks into home, steals thousands in belongings

Police say keyless entry systems have made it easier for vehicles to be targeted by thieves. (Brett Jordan / Pixels)

Vancouver -

Mounties in North Vancouver are warning members of the public to be cautious with their keys and garage door openers after two recent burglaries led to residents losing thousands of dollars in belongings.

According to the RCMP, two recent reports were received over the past week about keys being taken from vehicles and used in break-ins.

"In one case, the thief or thieves took a set of keys that were left in plain view inside the vehicle while it was parked at a local store," Sgt. Peter DeVries said in a news release issued Tuesday.

"They obtained the owner's address from the insurance papers, slashed one of the tires, then used the keys to break into their home and steal thousands of dollars worth of belongings."

In the second incident, a suspect reportedly took a garage door opener from a vehicle.

"When the owner returned home, they found their garage had been cleared out of thousands of dollars worth of valuable items," Mounties said in their statement.

AVOIDING 'TWO-STEP' THEFTS

Mounties offered several tips for avoiding these "two-step burglaries." To begin with, they recommend treating "keys like cash," whether parking, at work, at the gym, or out shopping.

Drivers are advised to park in secure, well-lit areas. Parking close to pedestrian traffic is also recommended.

Valuables shouldn't be left in cars, including shopping bags, tools, spare change or electronics. Similarly, spare keys shouldn't be stored in cars.

Drivers heading into a garage or parkade should wait for the door to close behind them and garage door openers should be kept out of sight.

"We can't stress enough how important it is to remove valuables from your vehicle, especially keys and key fobs," DeVries said.

"It's one thing to have your sunglasses and some spare change stolen, but it's a totally different story when your home is ransacked and you end up losing your most valuable possessions."

TOP 10 STOLEN ITEMS

In their warning, Mounties said there are some items that tend to be stolen more than others. Electronics, like smartphones and laptops, were high on the list. Theft of work tools was also common.

Accessories like sunglasses made the top 10 list and so did car parts and stereo equipment. Personal items like credit cards, ID and keys, as well as valuables like cash were listed too.