Vancouver Property Theft
May 2nd, 2002, 06:31 PM
#4
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Try asking this at groups.google.com in the rec.travel.usa-canada newsgroup too.<BR><BR>http://groups.google.com/groups?q=re...a-canada&hl=en
May 2nd, 2002, 08:39 PM
#6
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I worry more about my safety in the US but that's not going to stop me from going there.<BR><BR>I've been a tourist in Vancouver many times and have never had my car broken into. Still, it's worth having some sort of anti-theft device. If you've never been to Vancouver, I'd say 'go'. Leave your car in a secured lot - you won't need it much downtown anyway.
May 2nd, 2002, 09:28 PM
#7
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The people who are in danger are those who leave their luggage/valuables in plain view of anyone walking by.<BR><BR>It's also the people who park their cars in dodgy neighbourhoods (ie: the run-down streets in Gastown) - who risk it more than anywhere else. <BR><BR>Use common sense. I've lived here all my life, I used to work downtown for over a year, and I've been dating someone who lives downtown for 2 years. I've been driving in Vancouver for 3 years and my family for decades - no one in my family has ever gotten their cars broken into.<BR><BR>I'd go for it. I wouldn't stop visiting Vancouver over an issue like that. Chances are, it won't happen to you.
May 2nd, 2002, 10:43 PM
#8
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Robyn, you're lucky. I've lived in Vancouver all my life too. In the past 5 years I've had one car stolen from right in front of my Fairview area condo, had a convertible top slashed even though there were no valuables in sight and had my window broken while at a movie theatre parking lot downtown. Last week my wife had her window broken while parked at the city lot underneath the YWCA on Hornby during a weekday. We don't drive particularly high-end cars either.
May 2nd, 2002, 11:12 PM
#9
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Me neither.<BR><BR>Then again, I've lived in Richmond all my life, but 2 weeks before Christmas in 2000, our home was broken into... and only by a fluke did they catch the guys (who turned out to be heroin addicts looking to pawn off the stolen items for drug money).<BR><BR>For the most part, that's the reason why it's such a big problem right now. Drug money.<BR><BR>But to avoid a trip to Vancouver all together because of that... that's a bit extreme.
May 3rd, 2002, 11:42 AM
#11
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WHAT ARE YOU GUYS TALKING ABOUT?<BR>I have lived in Vancouver for 30 years and have no idea what you guys are talking about. Crime in Vancouver is at it's lowest! I have never had my car broken into... I've lived in West Van my whole life but go downtown all the time. If you go to lower class towns like Richmond and Ladner and New West you'd be at higher risk thats all.
May 3rd, 2002, 02:20 PM
#12
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Car break-ins are probably slightly higher in Vancouver than many other places in NA, but I wouldn't call it "rampant." And tourists aren't targetted any more than locals are.<BR><BR>As others have said, use your common sense--don't leave valuables in the car, an don't leave anything in view. If you park in an underground parking lot, choose one with an attendant.<BR><BR>Ignore Treena's "lower class town" comments. I've lived in New West for 10 years and never had my car broken into there, but have had it broken into in Vancouver.
May 3rd, 2002, 03:07 PM
#13
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Charles:<BR><BR>Vancouver is a lovely city with very friendly citizens and should certainly not be missed.It has been voted the most livable city in the world for two out of the last three years ( tied with Zurich )However, we do have a crime problem and, in particular, car break-ins. It may well be the car break-in capital of N.A right now. Car break-ins happen mainly in the downtown area in and around GAstown but are also rampnt in any parking lot that tends to be used by tourists -- including Grouse Mtn, Stanley Park, Queen Elizabeth Park and even the city streets. Cars broken into tend to be those where articles are left in plain view -- just make sure to take caution and lock everything in the trunk out of view.<BR>Like some of the others, I have lived here most of my life and never had my car broken into, but know many who have.<BR>We are in the tourist business and in 8 years of operating, have had three clients who have experienced problems.<BR>You may be more likely to have your car broken into in Vancouver but comapred to many/most large American cities, Vancouver has a lower Assault and Homicide rate--you can decide which is worse.<BR><BR>cheers --do vist, you won't regret it <BR>
May 8th, 2002, 10:38 PM
#15
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I was mugged in Vancouver last November during daylight about 4pm. I screamed for help while the mugger ran off with my purse and sunglasses. Not one person on the street helped me. Now I keep my hand tightly on my purse and constantly look around. My boyfriend was attacked in Montreal a few years ago for his leather jacket and wallet. So for those of you that say we do not have crime I think you are fooling yourselves or you must not leave your home area too often.
May 9th, 2002, 02:23 AM
#16
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The problem with Fodors.com is, there's no way to check which posts are real and which ones are fake.<BR><BR>Fake accounts are obvious when they purposely try to turn the story around (example, "[email protected]" who illustrated Vancouver's sleepy agricultural suburbs like Ladner to be scary)<BR><BR>Melissa at "[email protected]" is also fishy because where abouts did she get mugged in broad daylight in Vancouver as she screamed away without anyone helping her. Sounds very unlikely unless she was in the middle of nowhere.<BR><BR>I'd take these posts with a grain of salt.
May 14th, 2002, 06:42 PM
#17
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Well Jaret, you can take those posts with a grain of salt, but maybe you'll believe the Globe and Mail Newspaper (one of two national newspapers in Canada and well respected). They reported in August 2001 on the quickly increasing crime rate in Vancouver. You can see their report at http://www.theglobeandmail.com/series/heroin/statistics.html<BR>
May 15th, 2002, 05:08 AM
#18
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Three years ago we left our rental car parked in the hotel parking lot; we were only there for 1 night and had considered leaving a few things in the trunk - didn't feel like lugging everything inside - but decided against it. This turned out to be very wise. The parking lot was accessible from the street and the security guard on duty was a timid elderly guy who had watched the whole thing but was afraid to do anything about it. Some would-be thieves smashed the driver's window and pulled the trunk-release lever. Apparently they were annoyed that they didn't find anything, so they vandalized the car. When we got downstairs the next morning, ready to head for the airport (fortunately we had allowed tons of time to return the car) we found glass all over the place, the trunk open, and the security guard dithering around not having the slightest idea about what to do. The car rental company took care of everything; we had done everything possible (i.e. parked in a "supervised, secure" lot) (?!) and we had no insurance problems. And fortunately nothing was stolen. Since then, that hotel has significantly tightened security and I understand that others have done the same. It's probably safer now than it used to be.
