Car thefts causing concern in Winnipeg

It can happen in seconds – you start your car to warm it up and come back to find it's been stolen.

That's what happened to Josh Bruins. He walked out of his apartment on Setter Streets early on Saturday morning and started his car to warm it up. Five minutes later, it was gone.

"You panic, your heart drops," he said.

He's one of around 250 Winnipeggers who have had their vehicle stolen in the first half of January. The Winnipeg Police Service (WPS) said of those cases, 44 per cent involved the vehicles already running, and 73 per cent had the keys inside.

"We've cautioned against this for years, because thieves are finding away," said Const. Dani McKinnon, a public information officer with the WPS. "They're watching. They see you dash in and out of your house, even if it's just for a moment, a few seconds, and they will take it."

McKinnon said even if you have a remote start vehicle, there is still a risk as the car may still be drivable until it is shut off or runs out of gas.

The number of stolen vehicles actually dipped slightly in 2023 compared to the year prior.