A Toronto police officer suggested that residents leave their car keys by the front door to avoid a home invasion, seemingly to let criminals steal their vehicle if they break in, leave and avoid injuries.
The Toronto Police Service issued a statement Wednesday confirming that an officer made the remarks at a recent community meeting.
The officer suggested “that people leave the keys to their vehicle in a faraday bag by the front door,” the statement said.
“While well meaning, there are also other ways to prevent auto theft motivated home invasions,” it continued.
Faraday bags block signal-duplicating devices used to replicate key fobs which criminals can use to steal vehicles.
In Toronto, home invasions and break-ins for auto thefts rose 400 per cent last year, the Toronto Police Service said.
At an Etobicoke community meeting, Const. Marco Ricciardi is heard saying, “To prevent the possibility of being attacked in your home, leave your fobs at your front door.”
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“They’re breaking into your home to steal your car. They don’t want anything else,” he said, which CityNews first reported.
“A lot of them that they’re arresting have guns on them and they’re not toy guns, they’re real guns. They’re loaded.”
Toronto police said in Wednesday’s statement that they “are concerned about an escalation in violence, where all sorts of weapons and firearms are being used to steal vehicles, and that includes during home invasions.”
The statement said while officers have always told the public to prioritize their safety over their vehicle, there are other ways residents can protect their homes and vehicles, other than just leaving keys at the front door.
Among the various tips given in the statement were to park vehicles in a garage if possible, ensure your driveway is well-lit, have a home security system and security cameras if possible, put security film on glass windows and doors, keep backyard gates and ground-floor windows locked, and report suspicious vehicles / people.
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