Manitoba auto thieves using owners' keys to swipe vehicles, says MPI

Manitoba Public Insurance is urging motorists to protect their car keys, as a growing number of auto thefts is caused by thieves getting their hands on the keys.

The public auto insurer and CAA Manitoba are teaming up with 59 Citizens on Patrol groups across the province to remind drivers to safeguard their keys.

"Don't help thieves steal your vehicle," the new awareness campaign urges Manitobans.

Justice Minister Gord Mackintosh, who is the minister responsible for MPI, says while auto thefts in Winnipeg have gone down by nearly 85 per cent in the past decade, thefts that happen after owners leave their keys inside their vehicles are on the rise.

Of the 400 vehicles reported stolen this past spring, 75 per cent involved the use of keys — an 11 per cent increase in key-related thefts compared to spring of 2014, according to MPI claims data.

Mackintosh said the overall number of auto thefts has gone down dramatically in the past decade because two-thirds of vehicles in the province have immobilizers installed.

"The immobilizers work by preventing a vehicle from being started without the key or without a key fob," he said.

"Immobilizers don't work when the key is in the vehicle. The vehicle will get stolen, of course."

Police officials said stealing a car required skill 10 years ago, but not anymore.

Mackintosh said the province is not considering any penalties for motorists who leave their keys in their cars, as they are victimized enough when their vehicles are stolen.

4 tips for drivers

The MPI and CAA campaign urges motorists to do four things:

• Don't leave your keys anywhere inside your vehicle.
• Always keep your vehicle locked.
• Don't leave your vehicle running unattended.
• Be careful with your keys to avoid losing them or having them stolen.

CAA Manitoba says even in extreme winter conditions, vehicles only need to warm up for a few minutes, so there's no reason to leave a car running unattended with the keys in the ignition.

"New cars, especially cars made in the last six or seven years, really do only need three to four minutes to warm up to make sure all the components of your car are running smoothly and that your car is functioning properly," said Liz Kulyk of CAA.

"If you're letting your car warm up for 10 or 15 minutes, the only thing you're doing is wasting a lot of gas."

Citizens on Patrol groups will hold public information sessions in their communities over the next few months.