Image Credit: ADOBE STOCK

VANCOUVER - Lock up your pickup is the advice as the trucks topped the list of stolen vehicles in the province last year.

As part of Auto Crime Enforcement Month, the B.C. RCMP and ICBC have released the vehicle theft data from 2016 which shows 50 per cent of the top 10 vehicles stolen in 2016 were pickup trucks.

RCMP say over 1,200 Ford F Series trucks were stolen in B.C. last year, the most common vehicle stolen, followed by Dodge, GMC-Chevy and Toyota pickup trucks.

There were 32 vehicles stolen in the province everyday in 2016, according to an RCMP media release. Older vehicles are a more common target since they’re less likely to have engine immobilizers.

“It’s important to make a deliberate effort to protect your vehicle from auto crime,” ICBC vice-president of road safety Steve Crombie says in the release. “Thieves are adapting and changing their strategies to get into your car or truck, so don’t leave your keys unguarded and lock your vehicle at all times.”

The province's Integrated Municipal Provincial Auto Crime Team are also advising people to be careful what they leave in their car or truck, as property theft from vehicles was up 10.7 percent last year.

Inspector Brian MacDonald encourages people to lock their vehicles and protect their keys.

"Use an antitheft device and remove valuables from your vehicle," MacDonald says in the release. "Your vehicle is a display case for thieves. Don`t make it easy for them."

Here are some anti-theft tips for truck owners provided by the RCMP:

• Don’t leave your vehicle running and unattended with the key in the ignition.
• Park in a locked garage, or a well-lit, highly-visible, high-traffic area. Back into a parking stall, and park with your truck’s tailgate close to a building or other vehicle to prevent the tailgate from being opened.
• Remove unsecured possessions from your vehicle—smartphones, shopping bags, tools, cash, briefcase, or garage door opener. Remove everything that could tempt a thief.
• Install an alarm system in your vehicle with a tailgate actuator that locks at the same time as the other doors.
• Attached an antitheft device. A well-secured car will deter thieves.
• Always lock your tailgate. Many trucks have factory-installed locks, and aftermarket lock assemblies are also available. Or, attach a tailgate padlock, simple hose, or a locking easy clamp where the tailgate lifts out.
• Report suspicious persons, vehicles, or activities to police as soon as possible.

For more ways to protect your the property in your vehicle check out this website.

To contact a reporter for this story, email Brendan Kergin or call 250-819-6089 or email the editor. You can also submit photos, videos or news tips to the newsroom and be entered to win a monthly prize draw.

We welcome your comments and opinions on our stories but play nice. We won't censor or delete comments unless they contain off-topic statements or links, unnecessary vulgarity, false facts, spam or obviously fake profiles. If you have any concerns about what you see in comments, email the editor in the link above. 

News from © iNFOnews, 2017