London, Ontario — An automotive glass facility owner in Ontario is offering some seemingly counterintuitive advice in response to a recent spike in car break-ins—leave your doors unlocked and let the thieves snoop a little.
Car theft has become such a problem in the London, Ont., area that Andy Dunleavy of London Auto Glass suggests drivers leave their doors unlocked in an effort to save themselves a needless repair bill.
“If they want to take a look, they’re going to take a look anyway. Just don’t keep any valuables in there.”
A recent theft victim interviewed by the CBC said his insurance provider quoted him a $300 bill to replace his smashed-in car windows. He ended up paying out of pocket to avoid filing a claim.
Another local auto glass shop owner said the public is frustrated.
“They expect something to be done by the police department but unfortunately they just get told to file a report and they don’t hear much after that,” he told the CBC.
Jeff Bullas of Standard Auto Glass in London said his location saw somewhere between seven and nine window repair jobs every week in June. Dunleavy said ten customers visited in a single day last month, following a Shania Twain concert in downtown London.
“You could be [anywhere in the city]. It doesn’t matter. It’s rampant,” he said.
London police have not provided statistics or recent data on car break-ins or smashed window reports.
