By Denise Bacon
Linda and Wendy, two residents living in different homes on different streets in Centennial, had similar experiences as they woke up on two different days. These experiences continue to be shared many times over by residents across the city.
When Wendy looked outside her front door that Saturday morning, she was shocked to see that her driveway was empty and she knew immediately that her car had been stolen. This theft felt personal since the SUV had been a birthday gift.
Wendy called the police right away and was told to simply report this to her insurance company. The message from them was basically, “Try not to have nice things, since this may happen again.”
The thieves parked their own car across the street for about 20 minutes before taking her car. They threw some of her belongings out of the window as they drove around the block twice. Neighbours’ cameras captured it, but the police didn’t pursue any of this information.
Linda had waited with anticipation for a year to get delivery of her new Toyota Highlander. Five months after she got the SUV, it was stolen from her driveway early on a Saturday morning. Linda knew that the Highlander was a target for thieves, so she made sure that safety precautions were in place, especially since the car would be parked outside. There was a Club on the steering wheel and electronic safety systems in the car.
In this case, too, the thieves waited for about 20 minutes before getting into the Highlander. They spent about two minutes inside the vehicle using a saw to cut either the Club or the steering wheel to get the vehicle going.
Linda’s first reaction was disbelief and panic, and then reality set in. She called the police and officers came over right away, saying that they were in the neighbourhood because this was the ninth call that day. They took a statement and security footage from cameras at Linda’s and neighbours’ homes. They told her she would never see her car again.
Linda was disappointed by the response from Toyota. The dealership quickly disabled the GPS on the car, so its location could not be tracked. Security cameras captured the thieves doing something inside the driver’s side wheel well, which seemed to disable the car’s electronic systems, including alarm notification. This known problem shows that car manufacturers must be required to improve car security systems.
Linda and Wendy lost everything that was in their cars, and it took months for them to get over their feelings of being violated. Their children were affected, too, and many months later, Wendy’s young kids remember how sad she was. Linda’s teens felt uneasy knowing that there were strangers stealing their car while they were sleeping upstairs.
Here are a few tips that Linda and Wendy would like to share:
- If a car is parked on a driveway, the owner should ensure that all reasonable anti-theft systems are installed. At best, these can be deterrents.
- Don’t keep original documents in the car since these are a bother to replace.
- Don’t keep valuables in the car.
- Keep receipts for everything that comes with the car: custom floor mats, trailer hitch, aftermarket security systems, etc.
- Report stolen plates to Service Ontario right away.
- If you have an extended warranty on the car, call the dealership to get a refund.
- Get replacement value insurance for your car.
- Negotiate with your insurance company to maximize your reimbursement. Don’t accept the first offer.
Linda has a pragmatic view of the theft. “It’s just a thing at the end of the day. No person was injured and we all learned from the experience. ”