Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police
From Jan. 20 -24, 2025, your Alberta RCMP, along with law enforcement agencies across the province, participated in Operation Cold Start. Operation Cold Start is designed to work with the public to reduce theft of idling vehicles during colder conditions.
Law enforcement agencies checked unattended, idling vehicles to see if keys were in them, and whether or not they were properly secured. This gave the opportunity to educate vehicle owners on how to keep their vehicles safe during winter months.
“This campaign was a great chance to meet with community members and remind them that as temperatures dip, leaving a vehicle unattended can lead to it being stolen by opportunistic thieves who can then travel to commit additional crimes,” says Cpl. Mike Black of the Alberta RCMP’s Auto Theft Unit. “By following simple tips, such as using a remote starter, remaining in the vehicle as it warms up, and remembering that vehicles with push starts can be driven without a key present, theft of vehicles can be reduced.”
During the campaign, the Alberta RCMP noted there were 504 unlocked vehicles left idling with keys in the ignition and 1,277 locked vehicles left idling with keys in the ignition. Officers interacted with 625 vehicle owners and provided 1,128 information pamphlets.