The RCMP in Dawson Creek is reporting a new, “huge increase” in thefts from vehicles, with 11 occurring last month.
Dawson Creek city council heard from the city’s Mounties at their regular council meeting on August 11, during the presentation, RCMP Staff Sgt. Rob Hughes said the crime was becoming increasingly common.
The detachment’s policing report for the year, which includes data through the end of July, saw an 80 per cent increase in this crime when compared to the same period last year – 2025 saw 45 cases, 20 more than the year prior.
One trend Hughes, who is the detachment’s commander, identified was criminals letting themselves into easily accessible cars.
“People engaging in criminal activity typically walk along in the wee hours of the night, and they’re using the cloak of darkness to hide, and they’ll just check door handles,” Hughes said.
He noted that some people store their spare key fobs inside of vehicles, and advised anyone who is doing that to stop. Touchless entry works when a person’s keys are within a certain proximity of their car – when a key is always in the car, there is always a risk of someone breaking into it, he said.
After thieves enter the vehicle, the items they are stealing vary– of the 11 instances reported last month, Hughes said tools, license plates, and several wallets were said to have been stolen. Dawson Creek also saw a Frito Lays truck’s lock broken with a grinder – the only items reported missing from this incident were bags of chips.
Anyone who wakes up and discovers their car was rummaged through should first evaluate if the person who broke in is nearby. If they are, Hughes said to call 9-1-1, but if the person got away, he said to assess the situation and try to find out what’s missing.
If a wallet, ID, or credit card is stolen, residents are advised to contact their bank and a credit reporting agency, such as Equifax.
“The offence has already taken place, there’s no emergency to call (in). The first thing they should be doing is to safeguard their finances,” said Hughes. Some banks may allow customers to lock their debit and credit cards on their app, but these cards will need to be formally cancelled.
“Typically, with point-of-sale values under a certain amount, you can just tap, and tap, and tap, and tap, until the person wakes up in the morning and realizes their wallet is gone. Sometimes it’s 5, 6, 7, (or) 8 hours before they’re reporting their card stolen and the damage is done,” the staff sergeant said.
After ensuring their finances, credit, and identity are secure, the resident should contact the police.
Stealing actual vehicles was down by 22 per cent this year, when compared to 2024, but the detachment commander warned residents of the risk of car theft, with 55 reported this year.
“The majority of our stolen vehicles here in Dawson Creek are stolen with the keys, all the newer vehicles have a push start – we just had a 2025 vehicle stolen this week, where somebody had left the spare key fob in the glove box,” explained Hughes.
Residents are advised by the RCMP to lock their vehicles. Hughes also suggested drivers empty their backseat, console, and glove box before exiting their car. To show criminals there is not anything of value, he recommended leaving both receptacles open overnight.
