[Only The Lonely..]

This past week has seen a lot of news coverage to the growing problem of auto theft in Winnipeg. I'm curious about what other cities are doing to prevent the problem, and looking for answers as to why this issue is so much worse in Winnipeg..

Here are some stories from this week..


Manitoba Public Insurance estimates that a car is stolen every hour, on average, in the province. As of 2005, Manitoba holds the dubious distinction of having the highest auto-theft rate in the country, according to Statistics Canada.

In Winnipeg, 1,712 motor vehicle thefts per 100,000 population were reported last year, whereas in Toronto there were 306 thefts reported per 100,000 population.



Driver beaten after crashing stolen car: Victim critical, assault charge laid

Tue Jan 9 2007 By Jason Bell | Winnipeg Free Press

A known car thief is in hospital fighting for his life after he was beaten with a baseball bat by a driver he smashed into with a stolen car, a family member said Monday.
Stanley Ross, 22, is in critical condition in a medically induced coma at the Health Sciences Centre.

Police say a security guard who was driving a mobile patrol vehicle was arrested following the incident early Saturday morning and charged with aggravated assault.

Samir Salihovic, 19, was charged after he allegedly beat Ross over the head with a bat after the two were involved in a crash in Elmwood.

Sources say the man worked for S.K. Security Services, a relatively new, licensed security firm in Winnipeg.

Arrested for assault
The security guard's 40-year-old supervisor, who came to the collision scene after the altercation, has also been arrested for assault, a police spokesman said.

Telephone messages left with the company were unreturned Monday.

Ross was wearing handcuffs when police and paramedics arrived, said Sgt. Kelly Dennison of the Winnipeg Police Service.

Late Monday, Ross' older sister said her brother's life is "hanging in the balance" in the intensive-care unit at HSC.

Candy Ross, 24, said doctors have told the family there is no way to tell if her brother will survive the severe head injuries he suffered.

"The next week is critical," she said. "It's hard to see him like that. I've been at the hospital since it happened ...somebody has to be there for him.

"Some of my family can't even bear to see him like this."

Ross was allegedly driving a stolen vehicle when he got into a collision in the area of Plessis Road and Regent Avenue, said Sgt. Dennison. It's believed Ross left the scene of the crash and continued driving until he got involved in a second collision with a security guard mobile patrol vehicle near Midwinter Avenue and Stadacona Street.

An argument started and the suspect allegedly grabbed a baseball bat and hit the victim over the head and the upper body.

No saint

Candy Ross said her brother is no saint but did not deserve the beating he received.

"Why would someone go and do that? Did they think they were serving justice?" she said. "I know my brother has done some bad things like stealing cars, but that's no reason to put him on life support."

Ross received a 30-month sentence in 2003 after pleading guilty to several charges, including four counts of vehicle theft.

Salihovic was detained at the Winnipeg Remand Centre. He was also charged with breaching a court order.

"The victim is unable to speak, obviously, he is in critical condition. I do believe there is a number of witnesses that witnessed this entire incident unfold," said Dennison.

"I don't know what (the suspects') intent or intentions were." Provincial justice officials said they are reviewing the incident to ensure the security company's licensing requirements have been followed.

They would not comment on the incident.

jason.bell@freepress.mb.ca

[Only The Lonely..]

Bat-beating fans shocking: Alleged attacker draws huge support
By PAUL TURENNE | Winnipeg Sun

The blood lust in some people amazes me.

Since the Sun reported Monday that Winnipegger Stanley Ross was beaten nearly to death with a baseball bat, allegedly by Samir Salihovic, a man he'd just gotten into a car accident with, the newspaper has been inundated with letters of support for the beating.

That's right. Letters of support.

The main thrust of the argument in these e-mails -- sent by people who may be upset their van was stolen from the mall or don't like people who look like Ross -- is that the victim, a convicted car thief and known gang member, deserved the beating and simply got what was coming to him.

Salihovic is in custody on a charge of aggravated assault following a road rage incident Saturday night. His supervisor is charged with common assault for allegedly also beating Ross.


One misguided reader, Shaun, said there is "absolutely nothing wrong" with what Salihovic is accused of doing and even offered to take him out for lunch, calling him a "local hero."

"Hopefully, the convicted serial car-thief is left brain-damaged and too mentally incapacitated to steal more cars," argues Shaun.

Another reader, "Dr. Unimpressed" said, "It is sad that Samir Salihovic is now seen as the bad guy."

A reader named Dave writes: "Yes, I understand he was brutally beaten and that is unacceptable, but are we honestly supposed to feel sorry for this idiot?"

Yes, Dave, you are.

Stanley Ross may be a thug and a car thief and a gangster but he is still a person with a family. He's an uncle, we're told.

Coma undeserved

I'm an uncle, too, and I'm sure my niece would take no joy in seeing me lying in the hospital in a coma with a bruised and swollen head, like you seem to.

Maybe Ross deserves to go to jail. Cops said yesterday he might be charged with car theft, but he doesn't deserve to be in a coma. Even if you don't feel sorry for Ross, at least don't condone the actions of his alleged attacker.

Believe me, I can appreciate the desire to be a vigilante and as a crime reporter I deal with scumbags far worse than car thieves all the time, but there are very, very, very few of them that I would ever wish to be brutalized in such a fashion.

Unless Ross raped Salihovic's daughter or murdered his mother, there is absolutely no excuse for taking things to that level.

It's selfish, self-righteous and ignorant to think otherwise.

And frankly, it scares me so that so many people in this town see it that way.

Do you agree with some Sun readers that convicted car thief Stanley Ross got what he deserved?

Yes 65%
No 35%

Total votes for question: 2224

[Only The Lonely..]

Winnipeg's black eye: It's an epidemic that demands gov't action

By TOM BRODBECK | Winnipeg Sun

Car thieves are giving this city a black eye as hundreds of vehicles a month get swiped from shopping centre parking lots, city parkades and sometimes right from the driveways of our own homes.

Vehicles are stolen mainly for the adolescent rush of bolting around the city in a stolen vehicle. But on top of the cost, victimization and nuisance it causes, auto theft is putting public safety and lives at risk.

Vehicles of all models and makes are getting ripped off -- from all parts of the city and from people of all walks of life. It appears no one is immune.

It's an epidemic and it demands far greater attention from governments and the courts as the problem continues to spiral out of control.

So I bring to you a new monthly column called Grand Theft Auto, designed to keep this wretched crime in the spotlight to force elected officials, Crown attorneys and judges to start taking this problem seriously.


The monthly instalment will highlight -- using updated police data -- some of the worst rashes of car thefts around the city, where they happened and what types of vehicles were stolen.

We'll start with last weekend, which saw one of the highest number of car thefts in recent months.

Just in case anyone thinks this problem is on the mend, there was a total of 135 motor vehicle thefts and attempted thefts last Friday and Saturday in Winnipeg, according to police records.

Stunning

That's equivalent to 68 a day, more than twice the daily average of car thefts in Winnipeg. It's stunning.

The North End -- police District 3 -- had the greatest number of auto thefts during the two-day period with 47 thefts and attempted thefts.

District 6 -- south of the Assiniboine River and west of the Red River -- had the second-highest number of auto thefts and attempted thefts at 28.

Garden City Shopping Centre stood out as a prime target for auto thieves last weekend. There were four attempted thefts and two stolen vehicles during the two-day period, including a black, 2004 Chevrolet Silverado that was swiped from the mall parking lot.

There were four attempted auto thefts Friday on Mayfair Place near the Midtown Bridge.

And there were two stolen vehicles from the retail area of Kenaston and McGillivray boulevards.

The West End was a hotbed of auto theft on the weekend.

There were three attempted thefts in the area of 1800 Wellington Avenue. And there was an attempted theft and a stolen vehicle -- a black, 2002 Chevrolet Tracker -- on nearby Ashburn Street.

Chevrolets were the vehicle of choice for thieves last weekend.

Chevrolet Avalanches, Cavaliers, Blazers, Silverados, Suburbans and Malibus were favourites all over the city.

Owners of Chevrolet Trailblazers were the victims of 10 thefts and attempted thefts.

Dodge Caravans continued to be one of the top choices for thieves, too, accounting for nine thefts and attempted thefts.

One dummy tried in vain to steal an orange, 2003 Hummer from a quiet Island Lakes street Saturday.

Another thief was so desperate for a vehicle, the punk stole a 1982 Dodge Aries -- yes, that's a 1982 -- from the 150 Sherbrook Street area. Nice going.

Police sources tell me there were 10, high-risk, chronic car thieves wanted by authorities on the weekend. Any connection? You be the judge.

Tune in next month.

[Only The Lonely..]

Teenagers in stolen car ram vehicle, apartment:
Two taken to hospital after crash near HSC

Fri Jan 12 2007 By Carol Sanders | Winnipeg Free Press

TEENAGE boys in a stolen SUV collided with a cab and then ran a red light Thursday night, slamming into a small station wagon and an apartment block in front of the Health Sciences Centre.
Two people, including a woman driving the station wagon, were taken to the nearby emergency room on stretchers. She was listed in stable condition last night. The condition of a boy in the stolen truck was not known.

He was conscious, though, said Richard Kehler, caretaker of the apartment building that's been hit by vehicles at least five times in the 10 years he's lived there. Kehler saw the driver flee and figured the vehicle was stolen. He had little sympathy for the passenger.

"He was wedged in between the front and back seat," Kehler said. "I went up to him and said, 'Sucks to be you right now.' "

Witnesses to the accident who were sitting in the Health Sciences Centre cafeteria on the second floor had a bird's-eye view of the melee at the corner of Sherbrook Street and McDermot Avenue.

They said four boys about 15 years old were in a black Avalanche speeding north on Sherbrook Street when it collided with the small silver station wagon, spinning it around. The stolen black truck then rammed into the apartment building and stopped.
"It was on fire for a bit," said a 30-year-old man who didn't want to give his name. "Three kids got out and headed down the back alley... One kid was limping and another kid was still in the Avalanche." Police were on the scene within seconds, the witnesses said.

Police had been pursuing the stolen vehicle after receiving a report of a hit-and-run but gave up the chase at Notre Dame Avenue. The vehicle kept going and rammed into the silver station wagon.

"She got smoked pretty good on one side," said Kehler.

After Thursday night's incident, he went outside to see the smashed-up vehicles, police cars and a scene of frosty mayhem.

Kehler said he saw a cab driver and a police officer running after one of the boys from the stolen Avalanche. Apparently, the cab had been rear-ended by the stolen SUV earlier in the evening.

"Crime in this city is out of control," said Kehler, who worried about the condition of the woman in the station wagon who was minding her own business and obeying the law when her vehicle was destroyed with her in it.

"These punks can do what they want," said Kehler, who fears their punishment will not fit the crime.

"These guys will be out in two days after all the damage they've done. There should be stiffer sentences." Kehler said he sympathizes with the police and the car thieves' victims. "People are getting very frustrated."

Racing through slick city streets on the coldest night of the year, the so-called joy riders aren't considering how deadly their actions might be to themselves or innocent passersby or bystanders, a police spokesman said.

"The danger of the whole epidemic of auto theft is the young people aren't taking that into account," said Insp. Steve Pilote.

carol.sanders@freepress.mb.ca

[SHOFEAR]

A buddy beat the shit out of an attempted car theif with a titanium lacrosse stick a couple years ago and held him down until the cops arrived. I'd do the same thing.

[Only The Lonely..]

Letters to the Editor | Winnipeg Sun Jan. 11 2006 | (Sun Editors Comments in brackets)



Why so sympathetic?

Paul Turenne's column (Bat-beating fans shocking, Jan. 10) is as astonishing as the response to the beating received by Stanley Ross. Car theft is out of control in Winnipeg and the police seem powerless to do anything about it, a fact that seems to have escaped Turenne's scrutiny. Why on earth is Turenne so pathetically sympathetic to this criminal? He obviously hasn't yet been violated by this crime.

My Avalanche was broken into and damaged at Polo Park in December 2005. It was extremely frustrating and nearly a month before I got it back, so we drove an MPIC rental for the entire holidays -- NOT enjoyable. The rising crime rate was one of the prime reasons we left Winnipeg and now happily live in a small, virtually crime-free town. If I had remained in Winnipeg and witnessed Ross's beating, I might have asked for my own turn at bat, as no doubt would hundreds of other recent victims of car theft.

It's not blood lust, it's street justice.

J. Kerr


Parrsboro, N.S.

(No, it's thuggery.)


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Lynch-mob mentality

Thanks to Paul Turenne for his piece condemning the blood-lust responses provoked by an alleged car thief being nearly beaten to death with a baseball bat. The lynch-mob mentality unleashed by this incident is truly terrifying, and the participants ought to be ashamed of themselves.

Chris Johnson

Winnipeg


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Who's next up to bat?

While I am all for seeing a criminal and proven gangster get what he deserves, this is not the way to do it. It is not up to the Samir Salihovics of the world to dispense their own justice in a fit of emotional fury. If it were, I would never leave my home in fear that I may infringe on someone else's perception of justice and be met with a baseball bat for it.

Yness Boily

Winnipeg


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Feel for real victims

When people lead a life of crime and violence and are injured while living this lifestyle, society is not obligated to feel any sort of sympathy for the criminal.

Where is the sympathy and outrage for the victims of this criminal's actions?

Just because people are not all BLEEDING HEART LIBERALS, does not mean everyone is bloodthirsty!

Henry Wysmulek

Winnipeg


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

No one deserves that

Are these people for real? This guy was beaten with a bat in the head, and at the time of the attack, his attacker did not know who he was or that the vehicle was stolen! I have two children who have heard about this attack and told them that no one deserves to be hurt like that.

It is very scary to know that there are that many people in Winnipeg who feel that this kind of behaviour is OK.

Hildi Allison

Winnipeg


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Asking too much

Sun crime reporter Paul Turenne is surprised at the lack of sympathy for the chronic car thief and gang member who was beaten into a coma. He shouldn't be. The public have had it with career criminals who receive little or no punishment for their crimes and are turned loose over and over again to continue victimizing innocent people. Expecting compassion and understanding for thugs who show no regard or concern for others is asking too much.

David Taylor-Young

Winnipeg


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Drop the 'friendly,' folks

I am very surprised at the number of people who think that Stanley Ross deserved what happened to him. I lived in Winnipeg for 13 years and the reason I left was because of the people. The people in Winnipeg really need to get their licence plates changed because they aren't friendly at all.

I really hope that justice is brought down on the attacker, and he spends some time behind bars, and all the people who thought that it was the right thing to do need to shake their heads.

Raymond McKenzie

Belleville, Ont.

(Many are; but not that way.)

[h0twired]

My friend's dad beat the crap out of a punk breaking into his car near Grapes on Main. He beat up the punk and sat on him until the police arrived. When the cops showed up, he was free to go and the police only took a statement and he never heard from them again.

[rgalston]

This thread should be called "Who wants to be quoted in the next Black Rod post? Comment here:"

[Kevin_foster]

In Edmonton they are putting up dummy cars.

Although, laws state that they have to put signs up in the area (i.e. notice - there are dummy cars in this area).

Kinda silly... but apparently it works to catch criminals...

[ReginaGuy]

In Edmonton they are putting up dummy cars.

Although, laws state that they have to put signs up in the area (i.e. notice - there are dummy cars in this area).

Kinda silly... but apparently it works to catch criminals...

Well thats just plain retarded. What in god's name is the point then? The whole idea is to trick the theif into thinking its a normal car. Whoever is responsible for that law is an idiot

and I hope the car theif lives, but I hope he's crippled for life. He deserved what he got, and it'll be pretty hard for him to steal any more cars if he has a broken back :tup:

[Biff]

They are both criminals - the attacker (convicted of cocaine possession a couple of years ago) and the "victim" (known drug dealer and car thief) - fuck them both!

[freeweed]

Back when I worked with MPIC, there used to be a pretty decent correlation between auto theft rates and government vs. private insurers. I'll leave it up to the rest of you folks as to *why* this might be as the studies were done to death and I can't recall anything conclusive.

Anyone have any recent stats? A high car theft rate in Winnipeg is FAR from a new thing. I'd be curious to see how the peg stacks up to Regina, Saskatoon, Edmonton, Vancouver, etc...

I also recall that the stat used to be around 90% of these thefts were just joyriders. No financial motive, just stupid bored kids out looking for a thrill. Gang initiations used to be involved, too. Anyone know if this is still the case?

[ReginaGuy]

I'm not sure how the cities compare, but Regina is getting better. The rate of auto thefts in Regina has gone down by 44% in 4 years

This is partly thanks to the new "Regina Auto Theft Strategy", which enforces strict controls on repeat offenders, such as curfews, and also gets them involved in education, employment, etc

In a city the size of Regina, almost all of the car thefts are done by a relatively small group of people, so that's what makes it so effective.. I don't know if that strategy would work in larger cities like Winnipeg or Vancouver

[mersar]

Calgary I believe was around 6,000 or so for 2005 (I had my car stolen *twice* in 2006, so I asked the constable from CPS about how big a problem it is), although they are claiming a 90% retrieval rate. How many of the thefts in Winnipeg are just kids stealing for kicks versus profit based thefts? The vast majority in Calgary are the for kicks, to the extent the kid who stole my car the second time around, who was THIRTEEN, was arrested the day he stole mine after stringing up a list of about a dozen cars that day alone. And that was the third time he'd been arrested for car theft last year (they finally decided after the 3rd time to not let him out of the Young Offenders Centre until he went to trial).

[drew]

How many of the thefts in Winnipeg are just kids stealing for kicks versus profit based thefts?

It's probably almost 100% for joyriding purposes (they take what's easy - i.e GMs and Chryslers). Apparently it is a smallish group in Winnipeg responsible for most of the thefts (like Regina).

If this guy in the article who was beaten was a real "player" in Winnipeg car thefts, if may be interesting to find out if the amount of thefts have gone down since he was removed from service.

[SHOFEAR]

Edmonton's stolen cars are typically cars that are a dime a dozen like Civics and large trucks. I'd imagine it's more off a for-profit type motive because these cars blend right in and can be parted out with out to many questions.

[Only The Lonely..]

Teens arrested after stolen SUV crashes
JAN 12 2007 11:30 AM

Four teenagers ranging in ages from 14 to 16 have been charged after a stolen SUV ran a sequence of red lights along Portage Avenue Thursday evening. It also hit a taxi, a couple of other vehicles, a light standard, a bus shack, and two buildings.

The SUV was first spotted by police around 6:15. It all ended a short time later when the vehicle crashed in the 800 block of Sherbrook.

One 53-year old woman involved in one of the collisions was hurt and taken to hospital with non-life threatening injuries.

Police say the driver of the SUV tried to take off, but was apprehended. One of the teenagers was extricated from the stolen vehicle and taken to hospital.

The group faces a long list of charges. The police are looking for a fifth person who was involved.

CJOB's Lorne Edwards reporting.

[Only The Lonely..]

Four teenagers ranging in ages from 14 to 16 have been charged after a stolen SUV ran a sequence of red lights along Portage Avenue Thursday evening. It also hit a taxi, a couple of other vehicles, a light standard, a bus shack, and two buildings.


Now i'd like to see someone try this with a Smart Car.

[1ajs]

edit: duble post doh!

[1ajs]

only once has some one tried to steel one of are cars... lets just say they could not get it to move and it was left runing... my mother caught the guy and proceeded to diss him for not knowing how to drive a stick :P then after bitching at him she kicked him in the ass and sent him on his way :P

... the car is tank...... aka a full manual 72 volvo 145s wish i had the skill/space to do the rust on it :( inless someone knows or has a farly rust free 145

[Greco Roman]

only once has some one tried to steel one of are cars... lets just say they could not get it to move and it was left runing... my mother caught the guy and proceeded to diss him for not knowing how to drive a stick :P then after bitching at him she kicked him in the ass and sent him on his way :P

... the car is tank...... aka a full manual 72 volvo 145s wish i had the skill/space to do the rust on it :( inless someone knows or has a farly rust free 145


once is one time too many.

[1ajs]

once is one time too many.

huh?

[Greco Roman]

huh?


I mean it shouldn't even happen at all; but of course that belief only exists in a perfect world.

[1ajs]

o lol

[h0twired]

Now i'd like to see someone try this with a Smart Car.

Although it wouldnt hold 4 people... Smart cars are actually quite durable when it comes to collisions.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=RxmiV2PFluM

[Only The Lonely..]

Although it wouldnt hold 4 people... Smart cars are actually quite durable when it comes to collisions.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=RxmiV2PFluM

Thanks for the Smart Car kamikaze footage. I had no idea those things were so sturdily built.

[newflyer]

I had a car stolen at Polo Park and broken into 3 times in downtown. It is a big problem.. and should be focused on much more. Perhpas the penality for theft should be increased... especially for youth, who seem to get off scott free. I think a good dose of reality is in order.

[mersar]

Yep. The kid who stole mine that second time got off with pretty much a warning from what I understand. Thats despite the fact he'd already been caught 3 previous times, and this time he stole 12 or so vehicles in a single day (him and his friends just drove around until they ran out of gas, and found another neon to steal since that was all he knew how to hotwire).

[freeweed]

Random car theft facts:

Cow-orker of mine had his car broken into all the time (downtown lot in Winnipeg, he worked "late" a lot - ie: after 6). Car never taken, just stuff stolen. So, he started leaving his doors unlocked hoping at least they'd try that first and realize there was nothing there. Lost 3 windows in the first year of his "experiment". At least we know car thieves are dumb.

Ford Mustangs used to be the worst cars in Canada in terms of theft. Something like 5x as stolen as the next car, proportionally (numbers from the Insurance Bureau of Canada). After that it was easy to steal cars, like anything North American and Civics.

Never had a car stolen or broken into in 10+ years of owning one in Winnipeg, including parking downtown a lot during day, evening, and weekend hours. Still pissed off that car thieves got so little time, considering it's not just the car - they bugger up your entire life for weeks.

[bc2mb]

wow, i'll be crying tears of sympathy all night for the thief... *cough*

[vid]

"Cow-orker"

A what?

[jimj_wpg]

This thread should be called "Who wants to be quoted in the next Black Rod post? Comment here:"

:worship:

[freeweed]

"Cow-orker"

A what?

Wondered if anyone would catch that! :banana:

[newflyer]

What the hell.... its getting so bad cows starting to get involved in the crime wave?? :omg:

[Greco Roman]

Just curious to know how the whole bait car scheme works. Do they place these cars in an area with a high rate of cartheft? And are these cars set out as bait the preffered models of car thieves? Just curious.

[raggedy13]

Here's some info on Vancouver's success with decreasing auto crime with its bait car program. It's from the VPD website:

http://city.vancouver.bc.ca/police/operations/BaitCar/index.htm

This info is a few years old now but from what I've read over the years the program has been quite successful across the whole metro area. I recall reading an article perhaps a year ago that said the program was going to be or already was expanded to include boats and even mentioned using it in such things as ATVs and snowmobiles.

------------------------------------------------------------------

Vancouver Police Bait Car Program

2004-05-25

Auto Theft in the City of Vancouver has reduced. One of the initiatives that we credit with that reduction is the Bait Car Program.

The Vancouver Police Bait Car Program was launched in September of 2002. The Bait Car program is a partnership between the Vancouver Police Department, (VPD) the Insurance Corporation of British Columbia, (ICBC) and Emergency Communications Southwest B.C. (ECOMM).

ICBC provided initial, as well as ongoing funding to enable the Bait Car Program to get up and running, as well as to continue on. ICBC also manages the advertising campaigns, an integral part of the entire program.

The Bait Car Program is about deterrence as well as prosecution, and letting the criminal know that they will be arrested gives them something to think about prior to any theft.

Bait Cars are vehicles that are equipped with GPS tracking technology, as well as video and audio recording equipment. This equipment, supplied by BSM Wireless, is the latest in technology in vehicle tracking. The program works the following way:

Bait Cars are deployed in previously identified target areas. When a thief opens the door of a Bait Car, an activation alarm is sent to the monitoring station at E-COMM. From this terminal, E-COMM personnel can monitor:

* if the doors are opened or closed,
* if the ignition is on or off,
* speed of the vehicle,
* and exact location of the vehicle at all times.

E-COMM then notifies the appropriate police jurisdiction of the activation. When the time is right, police officers advise E-COMM to remotely disable the vehicle. This causes the engine to stop immediately. Police officers can then take the suspect into custody at a time best suited for the situation. After the suspect is in custody, video evidence of the incident, as well as tracking records are available for court purposes. This is especially beneficial with passengers in the car. Evidence is available as to their knowledge of the crime.

Bait Car Program is also assisted by Citizens Crime Watch volunteers. This group assists with the deployment of the vehicles on a regular basis. Without their assistance, a significant amount of additional police resources would be required.

As a result of the successes we have had, the program has been expanded throughout the Lower Mainland of British Columbia.

The success of this program speaks for itself.

The Vancouver Police Bait Car Program has just completed its second year of operation and has proven itself to be a very effective crime deterrent program. In the past two years, auto theft has declined significantly in the City of Vancouver , with an overall reduction of 9.7 % compared to the same time period one year prior to the Bait Car Program.

What does this mean to you?

343 vehicles not stolen in Vancouver the first year of the program!
604 vehicles not stolen in Vancouver in the second year of the program!

To put it is some kind of perspective, in the past two years, 947 families did not loose the use of their vehicles, and have to deal with the related inconveniences.

How big is this financially?

On a personal value, studies have shown that each individual on average looses approximately $300.00 for time lost due to obtaining replacement vehicle, personal items stolen in the car, claim appointments, etc, and an additional $300.00 deductible on average. Add these up and the figure is $568,200.00

ICBC figures show that each stolen vehicle claim costs them an average of $4000.00. Multiplied out, this comes to an overall savings of approximately $3,788,000.00.

We continue our battle on Auto Theft daily, and look forward to continued success.

Recently, A new webpage has been launched by ICBC. This web page gives you ideas on vehicle theft prevention and top stolen vehicles. It also has some examples of Bait Car footage that you can view over the internet. Use this link to view the page www.stolencarshow.ca these and other stolen auto information.

Working together, we can reduce Auto Theft.

-----------------------------------------------------------------

I think they probably use ICBC's info on top stolen vehicles to determine which cars to turn into bait cars.

[Only The Lonely..]

Put brakes on teen car thieves, Chomiak urges

Thu Mar 8 2007 | By Bruce Owen | Winnipeg Free Press

MANITOBA'S Justice Minister Dave Chomiak is repeating calls for the Harper government to live up to its commitment to put the brakes on reckless teen car thieves.

"It's an indictable offence to steal a cow, but it's not an offence to steal a car," Chomiak said Wednesday, in response to the "catch and release" of six boys, aged 13 to 16, who are accused of stealing two Cadillac Escalades in Winnipeg earlier this week and going on a wild ride that damaged many other cars.

Chomiak said he's frustrated Ottawa has not started to revamp the Criminal Code to make auto theft a crime of its own and beef up the Youth Criminal Justice Act to give prosecutors more power to hold suspected auto thieves in custody.

Right now, youths arrested for stealing cars are either charged with joyriding, possession of goods obtained by crime, or theft under or over $5,000.

By making auto theft a crime of its own under federal law, a conviction could potentially carry heavier penalties, Chomiak said.

Manitoba and Nova Scotia tabled these recommendations and others at a meeting of justice ministers last October, and seemed to get a sympathetic ear from then-federal Justice Minister Vic Toews.
At that time Toews committed to toughen up the YCJA and examine options regarding pre-trial detention.

But Prime Minister Stephen Harper moved Toews out of the post last January, replacing him with Robert Nicholson. Chomiak said he's written to Nicholson about the review of the YCJA but hasn't received a response.

Chomiak said more flexibility to hold youths in custody for auto-theft crimes is needed, regardless if they have a criminal record.

Under the five-year-old YCJA, a youth with no record who is caught stealing a vehicle can't be held in pre-trial custody. That's because the law focuses more on rehabilitation than punishment for first-time offenders.

Chomiak also said changes to the YCJA picked up steam in December with the release of Nova Scotia's Nunn commission report.

The commission examined what lead to the Oct. 14, 2004 death of Theresa McEvoy in Halifax. She was killed by a 17-year-old Archie Billard, who was driving a stolen car and trying to evade police when he caused a crash.

Billard had been released from police custody two days earlier. He was later sentenced as an adult to 5 1/2 year in prison.

Commissioner D. Merlin Nunn said Billard should not have been released from custody on the earlier date. Among the reasons blamed were the limiting bail provisions of the YCJA. He recommended the Nova Scotia government urge Ottawa to change the YCJA to emphasize public safety and increase flexibility for pre-trial detention.

Nunn also said the YCJA was sound legislation that works well in dealing with many young offenders, but needs to be amended to deal with more troubled youth who continuously snub the law.

bruce.owen@freepress.mb.ca


What happened:


MONDAY, 11 a.m.: several youths troll Polo Park Shopping Centre parking lot and steal two older-model Cadillac Escalades. It's believed the SUV were used to ram into other vehicles.


MONDAY, 1 p.m.: police spot one of the stolen SUVs driving in West Kildonan and give chase down south on Main Street.

MONDAY, 1:15 p.m.: the vehicle is abandoned on Church Avenue. Several youths are seen running into an apartment building.


MONDAY, 2 p.m.: police arrest six boys 13-16. The second damaged Escalade is found abandoned on Boyd Avenue near Arlington Street.


MONDAY EVENING: each of the boy's is released by police into the custody of their parents. As none has a criminal record, police and the courts are powerless to hold them in custody. The boys are told not to communicate with one another and not to be in a vehicle without the owner's permission.


Public would get tough with young offenders

IT'S wrong for six boys arrested after Monday's smash-up derby with two stolen Cadillac Escalades to be home with their families, a random selection of people said yesterday at the mall where the SUVs were stolen. And the law that kept them out of jail and let them return home -- Canada's Youth Criminal Justice Act -- is too lenient, said the shoppers at Polo Park Mall.

CLAUDIA MACDONALD


"I'm so sick of it. These kids, they get slapped on the wrist and they go out and do it again."


LEE CHRISTENSON, 21.


"The security guards can't do anything. They'll kick kids out of the mall but they're back a week later."

DIANA DYCK


"They should close the malls down at six o'clock. Parents should be home with their kids, not working. And unfortunately, the way the system is right now, parents have it tough

trying to be tough with their kids."


STEPHEN FALK


"If the kids are old enough to be doing things they shouldn't be doing -- they're old enough to take

responsibility. They're old enough to be punished. What are the parents going to do? Ground them? If there's no recourse in the legal system, what the parents can do is pretty limited." JACKIE DYKSTRA, 17


"Are you kidding? I'd leave them in jail to learn their lesson. As a parent, I would have left them in jail, if I had kids."

[Only The Lonely..]

Stolen car hits jogger on Wellington Crescent
Man may have been deliberately struck

Updated at 11:54 AM | March 8th 2007| Winnipeg Free Press

By Bruce Owen

A 49-year-old jogger is in guarded condition in hospital after he was struck -- perhaps deliberately -- by someone speeding down Wellington Crescent in a stolen car, police said today.
Const. Jacqueline Chaput said police learned of the hit-and-run shortly after 6 a.m. when a group of runners called 911 saying a blue car swerved at them as they jogged down Wellington Crescent.

Moments later the same group of joggers called police saying they found an injured man lying on the road at Wellington near Lanark Street.

Chaput said police got a good description of the car, including a licence plate number, and put out a broadcast for patrol cars to be on the lookout.

The car, an early-’90s Pontiac Sunbird, was found a short time later by police, abandoned near Broadway and Langside Street. It is now being examined by a police forensic team.

The injured jogger was rushed to hospital in unstable condition with head injuries, and has been upgraded to guarded.
Police ask anyone with information about the car, or its driver, -- it’s believed two people were in the car -- to call detectives at 986-2877.

Chaput said the incident highlights the need for all car owners to theft-proof their vehicles.

“It’s unfortunate it’s come to this,” she said. “Based on what’s happening here, it could have potentially tragic consequences.”

Police had no information on where or when the Sunbird was stolen.

On Wednesday 31 vehicles were reported stolen to police. There were also nine attempted thefts. Police also recovered 14 vehicles that had been reported stolen days earlier.

bruce.owen@freepress.mb.ca

[fengshui]

That's my friend and co-worker who got hit this morning. :(

Sure hope they get whoever did this and deal out some real justice.

[Only The Lonely..]

It's sick how out of control car theft is in this town..

I can't think of anyone I know who hasn't had their car either stolen or broken into. Myself, included.

[The Jabroni]

You know, I bet the car thieves are panicking, now that cars are getting immobilizers, they're being more aggressive in their sad tactics by being more "active". Although, the newer cars that come with the factory installed mobilizers are actually easy to break into, and the thieves are aiming at those cars now.

[ssiguy]

The "bait" program has been very successful in Vancouver and I know that Seattle is so impressed with the Vancouver program that they maybe begin to use it themselves.

The problem is that there are no real consequences. Judges let them off with a pat on the hand and sending everyone to jail really isn't an option and is extremely expensive.

Here's an idea..........caught once then automatic 5 year driven suspension.
Caught twice stealing then it's lifetime suspension.
Driving is not a right it is a privlege and should be treated as such.

[Bruce Owen]

That's my friend and co-worker who got hit this morning. :(

Sure hope they get whoever did this and deal out some real justice.

Fengshui, please e-mail bruce.owen@freepress.mb.ca

thanks

[fengshui]

How do I put this politely?

No.

Go find someone else to help you chase ambulances. When someone wants their privacy to be respected, maybe you should back off, instead of trying to find out something behind their back.

[Only The Lonely..]

Car stolen within day
Ex-Winnipegger gets rude awakening on arrival back in city

Tue Mar 13 2007 | By Bruce Owen | Winnipeg Free Press

A family that drove 4,828 kilometres from Central America to escape crime was in Winnipeg less than 24 hours before their truck was stolen.
"It's sickening," Gordon Spink said as he looked at the only memento of his 2000 Dodge Ram truck -- its keys. Spink is a former Winnipegger who left for Central America 10 years ago.

"It was just jaw-dropping. I almost couldn't assimilate it. I had high expectations we would feel comfortable here. But I got lulled into a false sense of security," said Spink.

Spink, 61, arrived back in Winnipeg late last week after spending 10 days driving his wife and son from San Pedro Sula in Honduras to Winnipeg where they plan to start a new life.

When he woke up Saturday morning his white truck was gone from a parking lot near Kearney Street in St. Vital. He had locked the truck's doors, but had no other theft-control device.

"In speaking to people about it, they say, 'Oh, don't you know Winnipeg is the auto-theft capital of North America?' It's almost as if people are proud of it, like when they say we're the Slurpee capital of Canada."
Spink said he came back to Canada for its quality of life, hoping he and his wife would feel safe from the violent everyday crime of Central America and that their son could get a good education.

In Honduras, Spink said he was once pistol-whipped in a home invasion and always felt on edge when he walked streets and beaches.

"You're always checking your back to make sure it's safe," he said.

He continued checking his back all the way to Winnipeg last week as the family drove north through Guatemala, Belize, Mexico and the United States.

When he crossed the Canadian border, he said he thought he could finally relax.

"It's almost as if we have a birthright that we can feel safe here," the retired computer program manager said. "But I know now to take that sense of safety and security with a grain of salt."

Spink said he hopes he gets his truck back so he can finish the process of importing it into Canada. It should be easy to spot, he added.

"It has a big bull bar in the front and it still has Honduran plates," he said. Spink was one of 20 people in the city who had vehicles stolen Saturday, according to police. Another 20 were victims of attempted thefts. On Sunday 19 vehicles were stolen and another 17 were recorded as attempted thefts.

The city's auto-theft problem hit a new low last week as three youths speeding in a stolen Pontiac Sunbird tried to mow down joggers on Wellington Crescent. Police said it appears a 49-year-old man was hit by the car. Police are still looking for suspects.

Earlier in the same week several youths were arrested after stealing two Cadillac Escalades in a smash-up spree through north Winnipeg.


bruce.owen@freepress.mb.ca

[Greco Roman]

:previous: Dang. You beat me to it!

So, what a wonderful and heart-warming story for the rest of Canada to mock us with.
I"m sick of this already :hell:

[Only The Lonely..]

I'm sick of it too..but you know if the government really wanted to do something about this they could.

I just think people have grown complacent.

[Greco Roman]

I'm sick of it too..but you know if the government really wanted to do something about this they could.

I just think people have grown complacent.

Which is most definately not a good sign for the futur of the city. This is, however, only one of the many reasons (not including weather since to me it is so trivial in nature) that Winnipeg has such a shitty reputation with all the smug jokers from BC, Alta. and Ontario thinking they are soooooo much better than us, while Manitoba and Winnipeg just sit back and say; "so what? crime happens everywhere. It's not that bad." This is what truly pisses me off. :pissed:

[drew]

^ it may piss you off - but it is essentially a true statement.

random serious crime isn't really a problem here (or anywhere else in Canada).

Car thefts are a problem here, but you visit the city of winnipeg crimestat website, you will notice that this year actual thefts of cars are way down over last year.

[CCF]

WInnipeg needs to pick up the phone and call Regina.

We were leading the country in auto-theft but our numbers have dropped dramatically due to some strategy that they implemented.

[newflyer]

Lets face it most car theives are young offenders.... until the young offenders act is changed it won't be corrected.

Although I get MPI full credit for suing car theives for damages. This is one of the few times a can say that having a government agengy is a benefit... as I am sure that by pursuing civil legal action against car theives they are not making much net, but by forcing even young offenders to pay for all damages and expenses incurred by the theft it puts all the responsibilty on the young morons. I would also like to see all car theifs lose the right to getting a licence for at least 5 years or 25 years of age, what ever is later. This would be possible without changing the young offenders act... as the government issues the licences... which is a privilage not a right.

[Only The Lonely..]

Suspected young auto thieves to remain in custody
MAR 15 2007 06:10 AM

Two of the three youths suspected in a hit and run of a Winnipeg jogger last week remain in custody.
A 16-year-old boy, believed to be the driver of the vehicle, will remain in the Manitoba Youth Centre pending two mental assessments.

Trial dates are also expected to be set during this time.

Through his lawyer the teen told the court he is innocent.

A 13-year-old co-accused cried during his bail hearing. The boy is not being released pending a court ordered bail report.

Another 16-year-old suspect was let go on Tuesday on a promise to appear in court.

CJOB's Jeff Keele reporting

[bomberguy]

I wouldn't be surprised if Rockstar games makes "Grand Theft Auto: Winnipeg"
That'd be cool and bad at the same time.

[Only The Lonely..]

I wouldn't be surprised if Rockstar games makes "Grand Theft Auto: Winnipeg"
That'd be cool and bad at the same time.

Naa, it's gonna be called "Grand Theft Auto: Peg city stories"

[Only The Lonely..]

Yet another attempt at Vehicular homicide with a stolen car, this is happening at a rate of one a week these days.



Teen driver arrested for allegedly hitting pedestrian

By Paul Turenne | Winnipeg Sun | March 20th 2007

Cops have arrested a 16-year-old boy who allegedly tried to injure a pedestrian while driving a stolen vehicle, and also allegedly rammed into two cop cars on the same night.

Cops were tight-lipped about the pedestrian incident, but did say the boy stands accused of deliberately trying to hurt someone with the car. It’s believed a teenaged girl was walking down the street somewhere in the northern part of Winnipeg about 1 a.m. Saturday when someone in the vehicle opened a door on her as they were passing, knocking her down.

Cops allege the driver later rammed the same vehicle into two cruisers that were trying to stop him. That happened once on Leila Avenue and a second time on Inkster Boulevard, before he finally slammed into a hydro pole and was arrested.


Read more in tomorrow's Winnipeg Sun.

[Only The Lonely..]

Another pedestrian targetted
Second such incident in two weeks involving stolen vehicles; 16-year-old boy charged

Tue Mar 20 2007 | By Bruce Owen | Winnipeg Free Press

A 16-year-old boy is charged with driving a stolen GMC Jimmy that took a run at a 17-year-old girl as she walked with friends down a north Winnipeg street this weekend, police said Monday.

It's the second confirmed incident in two weeks in which teen thieves have used stolen cars to intentionally hit pedestrians, the first being a 49-year-old jogger on Wellington Crescent almost two weeks ago.

Police spokesman Sgt. Kelly Dennison said police would not release details of the 17-year-old's injuries as police fear follow-up news reports will glorify the incident and lead to copycats.

"We're trying to do everything we can to stop it," Dennison said, describing the deliberate act "sick behaviour."

"They need to be held accountable for their actions."

He also said the two incidents appear to be isolated and that Winnipeggers should not be afraid of being hit by a stolen car.
However, he asked pedestrians to be careful when out and about.

"We would like to take this opportunity to remind all citizens of Winnipeg to use sidewalks wherever possible, be aware of your surroundings, including vehicles travelling in all directions," he said.

In the most recent incident, police believe a grey 1995 GMC Jimmy SUV stolen Saturday from the 700 block of Pritchard Avenue took a deliberate run at a group of teens walking on a street in north Winnipeg.

Police believe that as the SUV whisked by someone inside opened a door, hitting the girl. It's believed her injuries were not serious.

A short time later a police patrol unit spotted the stolen SUV driving in the 1100 block of Leila Avenue. The driver tried to ram into the police car and flee.

Moments later the stolen vehicle again rammed a second police vehicle near Inkster Boulevard and Plymouth Street. The stolen vehicle then hit a hydro pole in the 1700 block of Inkster Boulevard.

The youth is charged with two counts of assault with a weapon, dangerous operation of a motor vehicle causing bodily harm, possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose, flight from police, driving without a licence, failing to remain at the scene of an accident, theft over $5,000 and possession of break-in instruments.

Dennison said in the jogger hit-and-run and an earlier theft involving two Cadillac Escalades several boys were arrested who until then had no contact with police. That's raised concerns that a number of young boys are getting involved in the stolen auto subculture despite the best efforts of police and provincial officials to target and monitor high-risk thieves.

"Where did they learn how to do this?" Dennison said of the up-and-comer thieves.

The Winnipeg Auto Theft Suppression Strategy currently monitors about 135 high-risk thieves through a series of curfew checks. Those who violate their curfew are arrested.

The strict monitoring program was brought in a year ago to reduce the city's reputation as one of the worst cities in Canada for auto theft.

bruce.owen@freepress.mb.ca


A weekend

of car thefts

March 16, 2007


* Vehicles reported stolen: 17

* Attempted vehicle thefts: 24

* Recovered stolen vehicles: 12


March 17, 2007


* Vehicles reported stolen: 23 * Attempted vehicle thefts: 11

* Recovered stolen vehicles: 12


March 18, 2007


* Vehicles reported stolen: 21

* Attempted vehicle thefts: 14

* Recovered stolen vehicles: 13

-- Source: Winnipeg Police Service

[Only The Lonely..]

The moral of the story..

Don't take your car anywhere near Elmwood.

http://io.uwinnipeg.ca/~cschulz1/crimeStat.JPG

[rgalston]

Somebody call the waambulence...

[204]

The moral of the story..

Don't take your car anywhere near Elmwood.




How about just blowing up the Redwood Bridge?

[swolfe]

Car thieves have new enemy
Police camera scans 200 plates per minute

Fri Mar 23 2007

By Bruce Owen


CITY police unveiled a high-tech camera Thursday that scans the licence plates of hundreds of vehicles zooming by in a one-minute span to help identify stolen vehicles.
And investigators say the system, when installed, could help stem Winnipeg's auto-theft epidemic and reduce dangerous high-speed police chases.

The new camera system is called Automatic Licence Plate Recognition and it scours roads and parking lots looking for stolen vehicles.

Police say it's just one tool of many needed to make streets safer.

"It's not going to be a tool that cures everything," said Staff Sgt. Aubrey Kehler, of the stolen auto unit.

The system can read and compare the plates of 200 vehicles per minute. Normally, it takes an officer two minutes to type in a plate number in an on-board computer of a police car and get a reply, said Sgt. Doug Safioles.

ALPR facts

Automatic Licence Plate Recognition (ALPR) is a camera-based system used to identify vehicles by their licence plates.


The cameras can be stationary, used at a gas station, parking lot or border crossing, or installed in a marked or unmarked police car.
The ALPR automatically reads a licence plate and within seconds checks it with stolen-vehicle lists. It can also check if the car is legally registered and insured, but police don't plan to use it for that in Winnipeg.
The technology is used by police and border-security agencies throughout the world. RCMP in British Columbia will start using the system this fall.
Police usually store the licence plate information for 30 days. If there are no "hits" the information is destroyed.
Police say the ALPR system is not an invasion of privacy, as vehicle licence plates are in the public domain.
Police also say the ALPR system only does what police officers do already, but in seconds and more efficiently.

Recent stolen vehicles


March 17

23 vehicles were reported stolen. There were another 11 reported attempted thefts.

March 21

11 vehicles were reported stolen, followed by 13 attempted thefts.
Police say the sharp decline is due to one thing: Officers arrested one boy several days ago. With one kid off the street, thefts dropped by almost half.

The camera can also read plates covered in muck, added Safioles, explaining it senses the indentations of the numbers and letters of the plate as well as the paint.

One system costs about $25,000. Police are looking at getting only one and installing it over the next year.

What they won't do, according to Kehler, is chase the stolen car.

Instead, they can direct other police cars ahead to intercept the stolen car at a safe time and place to catch the thieves before they have injure someone or damage other vehicles and property.

The system is used in Vancouver, said Sgt. Gord Elias of British Columbia's Integrated Municipal Provincial Auto Crime Team (IMPACT). Vancouver has used the cameras for several years and credits them with helping to reduce auto-theft crimes.

Elias said an unmarked police car installed with the system blends into traffic and less visible to thieves. Covert police cars are brought to intercept the car when the time is right.

"People have no idea," he said, of the thieves.

The car with a camera can also prowl hot spots of the city known for high rates of auto theft, including parking lots where cars are frequently stolen (Polo Park and St. Vital shopping malls are two of the worst spots in Winnipeg) in the hope of catching a thief in the act.

Young thieves often steal up to five or more cars in a day. Usually they dump a car close by the next car they want to steal. Elias also said a police car equipped with the camera can be parked on the side of road at a street or bridge connecting one part of the city to the other. Once a stolen car is identified by the camera, officers can radio ahead to get police to set up a road block.

"You're only limited by your imagination what you can do with it," Elias said. "It's a piece of the puzzle. Like any puzzle, you have to put the pieces all together to tighten the noose around these guys."

In Winnipeg, Kehler said police aren't going to discuss tactics they plan to use.

He said the system can also be used to sniff out uninsured vehicles and suspended drivers, but that part of enforcement isn't planned for Winnipeg.

The system was announced Tuesday by Mayor Sam Katz in conjunction with Premier Gary Doer's pledge of $500,000 toward doubling the stolen auto unit by five additional officers.

The purchase of the camera and the additional provincial funding for the stolen auto unit only came together over the past few months -- before a jogger became the victim of a deliberate hit-and-run with a stolen car on Wellington Crescent March 8.


bruce.owen@freepress.mb.ca


Here's how the system works:

* A police car will be equipped with two special cameras, which are hooked up to an on-board computer.

* Each day, a list of stolen vehicles and their licence plate numbers will be uploaded into the computer.

* Once on the road, the cameras will scan each oncoming vehicle and each vehicle in the right-side lane or parked on the right-side curb.

* Cameras then automatically read the licence plate of each of these vehicles and compare their plates with the list of stolen vehicles in the computer.

* When a match is found, the plate and make and model of the auto are verified. * Depending on the situation, police can then take any number of actions.

[harls]

The ALPR automatically reads a licence plate and within seconds checks it with stolen-vehicle lists. It can also check if the car is legally registered and insured, but police don't plan to use it for that in Winnipeg.

why wouldn't they? I'll bet MPI would appreciate the cops bringing in extra business for them.

[The Jabroni]

why wouldn't they? I'll bet MPI would appreciate the cops bringing in extra business for them.

Shhhh, there's no need to say that around here.
:whip:

[fengshui]

Our company parking lot is located directly behind Ship Street Village in the Exchange. Employee cars have been hit three times during the last two weeks during business hours in broad daylight. In fact, someone just spotted an attempt about an hour ago, poor guy, second time on his vehicle. Smashed ignition. Last time it was the window.

If the City wants downtown to be business friendly, they had better start dealing with this. These are the kinds of issues that employers think of when deciding whether to renew a lease downtown.

[Marc B.]

I had a pass to that lot, or the one right behind it, and parked there all winter. Never had a problem, thankfully. But it's a private lot. Impark should keep a closer eye on it, not the city.

[Only The Lonely..]

Grief, tears and anger: Mom of three killed on her way to work


http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/ips_rich_content/829-a3accident.JPG

By CHRIS KITCHING, SUN MEDIA


Police work at the scene of the collision at the corner of Cathedral Avenue and Arlington Street early yesterday morning.

Grieving relatives of a 39-year-old accident victim placed wreaths and shed tears at the site where she died early yesterday, and expressed outrage over the fact her van was hit by a stolen vehicle.

Rachelle Leost was driving to her job at Costco Wholesale on St. James Street when a stolen Plymouth Voyager apparently blew through a stop sign and slammed into the passenger side of her van at a North End intersection.

"Right now, we're just all in shock. I don't think any of us can believe it," said one of Leost's six sisters, who, along with her mother, was among 20 people who participated in the roadside memorial. "We don't know what we're going to do without her."

Two males in the stolen van survived the collision and were recovering in hospital, police spokeswoman Const. Jacqueline Chaput said. Their ages were not released. Criminal charges had not been reported by press time.

"I do predict that the charges would be rather serious," said Chaput, who described the victim as an innocent person. "It's very unfortunate that this type of crime has escalated to this level."


Police said the collision happened about 4:40 a.m. at Arlington Street and Cathedral Avenue. Leost's van was southbound on Arlington when it was broadsided by the eastbound Voyager.

Attached to one wreath is a family portrait of a beaming Leost, who died a day before Mother's Day, standing with her husband Perry and their children Dylan, 15, Zachary, 12, and Ryan, 9. They had been planning a vacation to Disneyworld.

'SLAP ON THE WRIST'

"Her life was her boys. A devoted mother and wife," said her niece, Jeanette Carriere. "Something needs to be done about this. What stops (auto thieves) from joyriding and killing good, hard-working people? These punks get a slap on the wrist for stealing cars and that's BS."

Leost -- from St. Laurent, a community on the east shore of Lake Manitoba -- was one of eight siblings in a large family. Her sisters said their brother died in a car accident a decade ago.

Chaput said the Voyager was not followed by police before the crash. Pieces of broken beer bottles were found where it came to a stop. Chaput said alcohol is a possible but unconfirmed factor.

Police did not say from where and when the Voyager was stolen. Police are investigating its speed.

Witnesses said the collision created an upsetting scene -- the Voyager flipped onto its roof in a yard and caught fire with the two males trapped inside. It is unclear if there were more occupants.

Leost was found outside her van, which had skidded several metres through two yards. She was the lone occupant.

Shane Blais rushed to her side after he heard the vans collide and felt his house jolt. He said Leost suffered a head injury and believes she died immediately. Her body, covered by a sheet, lay in a yard for several hours as police investigated.

"It was just horrible, man," Blais said of the experience.

Awakened by the crash, Floyd Sliworsky grabbed his garden hose and doused the fire until firefighters arrived. He said the males appeared to be in their late teens or 20s. One of them was upside down, possibly suspended by a seatbelt, while the other was hanging out the window.

"It was a bit of chaos, I guess," Sliworsky said. "That (Voyager) must have been cruising to slide that other van that far."

Others tried to help the males out.

"One was pretty much yelling, 'Help me, help me,'" said Kyler, who refused to give his last name. "We tried to get him out but a cop came and said, 'Don't touch him.'"

Glass and auto parts were strewn across the intersection and two yards. A fire hydrant was knocked off its base, a street sign uprooted, and four-foot fence crushed. Both vehicles had serious damage.

[Only The Lonely..]

:previous:

I bet my tuition that this isn't the first time these bums have been caught driving a stolen car.

[rrskylar]

Wish those two car thieves had been left in that smashed and burning stolen van!

[DLLB]

:previous:

I bet my tuition that this isn't the first time these bums have been caught driving a stolen car.


I bet you are right. The courts are a complete farce. I won't call it the justice system as there is very little justice involved.

I was in Pinawa when this happened. What was the outcome re charges against these creeps - as if it will matter once the courts get involved?

[Only The Lonely..]

I bet you are right. The courts are a complete farce. I won't call it the justice system as there is very little justice involved.

I was in Pinawa when this happened. What was the outcome re charges against these creeps - as if it will matter once the courts get involved?

The public forgot about this pretty quickly, just like they forgot the jogger who was mowed down on Wellington Cres.

This city has become pretty indifferent to 8 year old kids jacking cars for kicks.

[Marc B.]

From the Free Press:

Carjackers strike in North End


Updated at 12:13 PM




There was a violent carjacking early Sunday in the city’s North End in which a man armed with a knife pulled a motorist from his car and assaulted him, police said today.
Police spokesman Sgt. Kelly Dennison warned Winnipeggers to be more cautious driving at night. He said people should keep their doors locked to thwart any attempt to steal their vehicle.

“That’s just the nature of the beast,” Dennison said.

Dennison said a 21-year-old man, driving a 1999 Lincoln Town Car, had stopped for a red light at Mountain Avenue and Salter Street at about 3 a.m. when a man armed with a knife opened his door, pulled him out and assaulted him on the street.

A second man then appeared and jumped in the passenger side of the idling vehicle. The man with the knife hopped behind the wheel and drove away.

The car was last seen heading south on Salter. The victim was not injured and his car is still missing.
The first suspect is described as aboriginal in appearance, in his 20s, 5’10”-6’0”, average build, short brown hair with a scar or tattoo on his right hand. He was wearing black pants, a black T-shirt and white and red running shoes.

The second man is described as aboriginal in appearance, in his 20s, 5’10”, wearing a navy blue T-shirt with writing on the front.

Call 986-2848 or Crime Stoppers at 786-8477 (TIPS) if you have information.