February 3, 2010

IMMOBILIZERS ONLY HALF THE SOLUTION: GOERTZEN

Cab company right to suggest thieves just picking other targets

Manitoba Progressive Conservative Justice Critic, Kelvin Goertzen, says the increase in attacks on taxi-cab drivers and car-jackings in the City of Winnipeg is because the provincial NDP’s program to reduce car theft only addressed half of the problem.

“We’ve said for years that while the immobilizer program was good for reducing the opportunity to steal some cars, it did nothing to change the criminal intention of those young people who were going out at night to commit a crime,” Goertzen said. “If they weren’t able to commit one type of crime, they would likely just commit another type of crime. All that does is trade off one victim for another.”

Today, the manager of Duffy Taxi said he believes the recent attacks on cab drivers and theft of taxis is the result of young criminals who find cabs are an easier target then vehicles with immobilizers.

Goertzen said putting all of the onus on the victim with the immobilizer program without a corresponding aggressive effort to reduce street gangs and youth crime doesn’t reduce crime overall.

“While there is always value in protecting personal property, you can’t ask people to lock themselves in their house 24-7 and to put all of their valuables in safes,” Goertzen said. “At some point, the focus has to be on those who are committing the crimes. It’s much easier for the NDP to put the onus on law-abiding citizens then it is to go after those who commit crimes. But if you frustrate the ability to commit one crime without changing the criminal intention, it doesn’t reduce crime overall. It just changes the kind of crimes that are happening.”