RCMP will once again be targeting snowmobile thieves with the help of bait sleds this winter.
Similar to the bait cars that have been deployed, the sleds, if stolen, are equipped with homing devices that allow police to remotely track it in order to recover the snowmobile and arrest those responsible for its theft.
The program was unveiled this week in southeast B.C. but they will also be used in Prince George and area this winter as they have in the past, Prince George RCMP Cpl. Craig Douglass said.
"Certainly that portion of the program is not a stranger to this community," he said.
The best way to stop such thefts is prevention, Douglass added.
Tips from RCMP for keeping snowmobiles from being stolen in the first place include parking vehicles carrying snowmobiles in well-lit areas with good visibility and lots of pedestrian traffic, marking snowmobiles with an identification number, investing in anti-theft devices for both the tow vehicle and snowmobile and securely locking all equipment.
RCMP also urge owners to record all identifying information on the equipment including sleds, trucks and trailers and keep it separate from the machines.
