The Edmonton Police Service (EPS) are reporting that six vehicles were stolen in the city last week.
Every single one of those vehicles happened to Lexus RX350 models, which has led officers to believe that these vehicles are being targeted by thieves.
The thieves reportedly disabled the GPS tracking systems in the vehicles after the theft.
“We want to make owners of these vehicles aware of these thefts, so that they can protect themselves from becoming victims,” said Don Lawrence, the acting sergeant of the EPS Targeted Response to Auto-theft Prevention team (TRAP).
This follows a trend in these types of vehicles being stolen this year. About 50 Lexus RX350 vehicles have been stolen in Alberta so far in 2023, with 19 being stolen in Edmonton. Thieves seem to be targeting models between 2019 and 2022 but there have also been a few 2016 and 2017 models stolen as well.
Police are encouraging owners of these vehicles to take extra precautions to prevent thefts, including:
- Parking in in a secure space (garage or well-lit and busy area)
- Removing valuables from vehicle
- Using a steering-wheel lock or an aftermarket GPS device
TRAP is continuing to investigate the thefts and anyone with information is asked to contact EPS at 780-423-4567.
