Hunting rifles are being stolen from vehicles in the city.
The Prince George RCMP are now asking hunters to take extra precaution as the detachment has received several reports of firearms being stolen from vehicles in the community.
In all cases, the firearms were left in vehicles overnight in preparation for an early morning departure where the person was leaving to go hunting or work in a rural location.
Police say these thieves are specifically targeting vehicles likely to be used for hunting.
"We understand that hunters want to get an early start to make the most of the day and the hunting season," says Cpl. Craig Douglass, spokesperson for the Prince George RCMP in a news release. "However, leaving hunting gear including guns in a vehicle attracts thieves and motivates them to the possibility of a good score. The prospect of stealing firearms is a pretty good motivator by itself, but thieves know even if there are no firearms, the reward is often thousands of dollars' worth of hunting gear."
Police are requesting that firearms, ammunition and other valuable items be packed just prior to departure, and not left in vehicles overnight.
Mounties note most of the thefts occurred in parking lots or near to hotels and motels in Prince George, but some instances occurred in residential driveways.
The RCMP says ensuring your vehicles are locked and valuables are removed or out of sight will dramatically decrease or even eliminate the chance of being a victim of this crime.
Police also encourage the public to report suspicious persons, vehicles and activities when they see it and note that checking into suspicious incidents is part of their duties and not a waste of time as a delay in reporting can often decrease the chance of an arrest and possible conviction.
If you have any information about the theft of firearms or the persons responsible, please contact the Prince George RCMP at 250-561-3300, anonymously contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or go online at www.pgcrimestoppers.bc.ca.
