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Could bait-sled program deter snowmobile thefts?

Editor,

I’m a snow enthusiast living in the Kootenays this winter, eager to spend my time travelling the area with sled and snowboard in tow. As I’m setting out my plans, I came across news that yet another set of sleds has been stolen from Revelstoke. I am not shocked by the news, but rather the stunning frequency that these headlines occupy not only the front pages but the conversations within the sledding community.

Not including this most recent incidents, there have been at least five separate thefts since December alone. If I’m planning my next stop through B.C. this will most certainly weigh on my decision.

My question is where is the RCMP in all of this? They are now saying they believe this is a part of a organized crime ring. I have yet to hear what they are doing to get in front of this problem that can no longer be brushed aside. Other areas of B.C. have pioneered the bait car program with huge success – auto theft has decreased dramatically in the Lower Mainland despite the population going up. I encourage them to just go with something, or the tourism that sustains much of the Revelstoke economy will be driven out of town with the criminals hands on the wheels.

Ryan Lyster