Anyone who believes you can’t, or shouldn’t legislate common sense should have been out with Nottawasaga OPP Const. Melody Tourigny and her team of policing committee volunteers Saturday.

They were in the parking lots of businesses in the west end of Alliston and Tottenham conducting a little crime prevention excercise known as the “Lock It or Lose It” campaign. The idea is to create awareness with motorists that they are leaving themselves wide open to thieves when they leave their car doors unlocked or valuables in plain view on car seats, consoles or dashboards.

Local motorists didn’t fare very well. In total, the group checked more than 600 vehicles and about 40 per cent of them were either unlocked or had temptation lying out for thieves in the form of valuables.

The list included everything from wallets and purses if you can imagine it, to loose change, computers and cell phones and brand new merchandise. Did we forget to mention the child? That’s right, a seven-year-old child was found in the back of a car. At least they had the decency to roll the windows down.

The people who leave their property out like this, deserved to have it taken from them. There are a few people out there who likely think the same of the parents of the child.

This type of carelessness is one reason why insurance rates are so high. They are also a waste of valuable time our local police officers could be using to solve or prevent other crimes.

So even if you weren’t “tagged” in Saturday’s excercise, take it as a valuable lesson. You know your habits. If you don’t regularly lock up or hide valuables, change them.  

CW