Provincial police throughout much of rural Midwestern Ontario say frustration is mounting amid the increasing number of preventable vehicle thefts.
Many vehicles are being stolen or broken into because they are either left unlocked or even worse -- unlocked with the keys left inside the vehicle. And police across the region are scratching their heads as to why people aren't being more mindful.
"We're pulling our hair out. Unfortunately we're really stuck with it right now and our officers are running ragged answering all of these [unnecessary] calls and it's very frustrating," says Perth County OPP Constable Kees Wijnands.
Not only are stolen vehicles used in other crimes, many people throughout the region will also feel a financial impact as far as automobile insurance goes.
"And then of course yours and mine insurance rates are going up because we're living in an area where people refuse to lock their trucks and vehicles and now our insurance rates go up because we live in an area where there's high theft," adds Wijnands.
Police say it boils down to one simple rule; lock it or lose it.
