The Richmond News scanned the City of Richmond’s Criminal Activity Map to determine what locations have been most prone to auto thefts over the past five years (January 2013 to January 2018), in which time 959 cars have been stolen. The News determined the worse locations for auto thefts by assessing an area no larger than one city block:
#1 Lansdowne Centre
This is not what we intend “ride sharing” to be. Police reported 19 car thefts in the 5300-block of No. 3 Road, otherwise known as Lansdowne Centre. The normally vacant west lot is a popular place to park and take the Canada Line at Lansdowne station.
# 2 Citation Drive
This short road near the Garden City Road and Granville Avenue bend is a car thief’s paradise with 18 reported vehicle thefts from the many ungated apartment parking lots.
#3 Cineplex/Watermania
They work fast and they make you furious. 14300 Entertainment Boulevard, aka the movie theatres, is a busy place but it also has lots of nooks and crannies and parking spaces far from any building. As such, 18 cars have been stolen from here.
#4 Richmond Centre
Just another reminder to not leave valuables in your car when you go shopping as Richmond’s largest mall is a prime target for thieves, who have jacked 13 cars in the 6000-block of No. 3 Road.
#5 Ackroyd Road
A small part of Ackroyd, between Cooney and Arcadia roads, has seen 13 car thefts. The road is popular for visitor parking for the numerous apartments, many of which have dark, ground-level parkades.
#6 River Rock Casino and Resort
The two portions of road immediately fronting the casino and Bridgeport station, River Road and Charles Street, have seen 13 successful “transit-oriented” car thefts. Maybe it’s time to invest those winnings on The Club?
#7 Moffatt Road
Perhaps the most popular arterial road connector in Richmond for pedestrians, Moffatt, between Blundell Road and Granville Avenue, disappoints with its car theft record of 12.
#8 Jones Road
Between Garden City and No. 3 roads, Jones ‘don’t take your date here’ Road is another densely populated area with ground-level parkades that has seen 12 car thefts.
#9 21000-block Westminster Highway
Stiffing it to the working man is priority No.1 for thieves in Richmond’s busy industrial park along Westminster nearby Fraserwood Place where 12 car thefts have occurred.
#10 Parksville Drive
Car thefts are par for the course on Parksville, next to Richmond Pitch and Putt (and a large apartment complex). A total of 10 vehicles have “missed the cut” here.
