Kamloops RCMP are reminding people to not leave valuables in their vehicles lest they lose it to thieves.

Cpl. Jodi Shelkie says police officers have noticed a troubling trend recently.

“Here at the RCMP we’re continuing our ‘Lock Out Auto Crime’ initiative, where we do patrols of residential neighborhoods and we have volunteers and officers go out together and check vehicles to see if they’re locked or see if they’ve left valuables inside. And we’re finding that quite a few more vehicles are being locked, but at this time of year we can see, in plain sight, a lot of ski equipment there,” Shelkie says.

“I’m not sure if people are getting ready to go out the next day and hit the hill so they put their skis in the night before so they’re all ready to go, or if when they get home from skiing they’re just too tired to take them inside. But it’s really important that you take all of your valuables out of your vehicle and then lock the doors, always, when you go into your home.”

Shelkie says vehicle break and enters are often crimes of convenience when a crook notices something valuable they can grab.

“We just want to remind people it’s that time of the year for skiing and stuff, and ski equipment is expensive, so make sure you take it inside.”