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Crime

EPS launches campaign to help curb vehicle thefts and smash and grabs

Published

5 years ago

8 minute read

Your community is a HotSpot!

EPS launches new public awareness campaign to help curb Theft of and Theft from Vehicles

For Immediate Release: 04-Dec-2019 @ 11:40 AM
MRU #: 19R122

The Edmonton Police Service (EPS) is launching a new campaign today to alert residents that the community they live or work in, is a Hot Spot for theft from and theft of vehicles.

“These two crimes continue to be on the rise year after year and we need all communities to be more vigilant about protecting and securing their vehicles,” says Sgt. Smith of West Division Crime Management Team. “Dealing with the aftermath of having your car broken into or stolen, is much worse than making the extra effort to protect your property.”

Nine neighbourhoods in Edmonton will notice large signs by roadways, alerting them that their neighbourhood is a Hot Spot. The campaign focuses on one community in each of the six EPS Divisions.

“These communities historically have had the most theft-from and theft-of vehicles when we analyzed the data from the last five years,” says Sgt. Smith.

The EPS compared statistics from Jan. 1, 2019 to Nov. 30, 2019, which correlated with the statistics over the last five years. The Hot Spot communities include:

Theft of Vehicle Theft from Vehicle
Downtown Core (78) Downtown Core (378)
Belvedere (68) Garneau (188)
Alberta Avenue (67) Alberta Avenue (128)
Strathcona (41) Westmount (75)
Summerside (35) Killarney (68)
Inglewood (34) Summerside (56)

There have been some occurrences of thefts involving vehicles with a smart key that have been left running, unattended and with key removed. Owners of these vehicles may be unaware that the vehicle may not lock due to a safety override feature in some manufacturers and assume incorrectly that the vehicle will not be able to be driven away.

“It appears that storage of these fobs within vehicles is often an issue. It is very easy to try the vehicle ignition button to see if the vehicle responds, even if no key is visible, in hopes that the vehicle will engage due to a hidden fob,” says Sgt. Smith.

There are many thefts where it’s unknown how a vehicle was broken into. Malls, parking lots and parkades continue to be primary targets for criminals.

“Parking lots and parkades are targets because they are often left unattended with poor lighting thus increasing the chances that thieves will go undetected,” says Sgt. Smith.

Other Theft of Vehicle and Theft from Vehicle Stats:

  • City wide, between Jan. 1 and Nov. 30, 2019, a total of 3,638 vehicles were stolen in Edmonton; and 7,302 thefts from vehicles also occurred.
  • The number of reported thefts from vehicles in the city has increased by 97 per cent since 2013, which had 3,701 reported incidents.
  • Year to date, 2019 has had the highest number of thefts from vehicles, since 2013
  • Southwest and Downtown Divisions have seen the largest increases this year.
  • For theft of vehicle, there were 700 incidents reported to police just between Sept. 1 and Oct. 31 of this year; 54 of those stolen vehicles were left running with a key inside and 76 had the key or a spare key left in the car.

Tips to prevent theft of and from vehicles:

Do not leave your vehicle running – Under no circumstances should you leave your vehicle unattended while running with the key in the ignition. NOTE: Remote car starters are not a problem; they are designed to shut off if attempts are made to steal the vehicle.

No Spare Keys – Do not leave a spare key hidden in the vehicle. Thieves look for spare keys, and once they break into your vehicle, they know all the hiding spots. You can get a spare key holder for your wallet or purse.

Lock Up Your Vehicle – Always check that the doors, windows, and sun roof are shut and locked when you park your vehicle.  Leave your vehicle in a locked garage where possible. Lock your vehicle even when it is in a locked garage.

Be aware of where you park – park in parking lots that have more than one of the following:

  1. Security cameras
  2. Security patrolling the parking lot
  3. Someone working at an entrance/exit booth
  4. A gated parking lot that needs a pass to get in and out
  5. Well lit
  6. A busy parking lot with lots of people coming and going or an area where there are lots of vehicles or pedestrians passing by

Treat Your Keys Like Cash – Don’t leave keys in places where they are easy to steal, such as a gym locker, on your desk at work, visible in an open purse or unattended in a shopping cart. Thieves will grab and go, then head out to the parking lot and push the button on your key fob until they find your car.

Use a Steering Wheel Locking Device (e.g. The Club) – A well-secured car will deter thieves. There are other devices available to consumers to stop thieves from easily stealing your vehicle. See your local automotive stores for details.

Do not leave items in your vehicle – Thieves can be attracted to your car because personal items are left in plain sight. Never leave anything in your vehicle, including loose change, cell phones, CDs, cameras, clothing, sunglasses, cigarettes, lighters, and any other items.

Install a Remote Car Starter – Remote starters are designed to shut off if anyone attempts to drive the vehicle without a key. This will allow you to warm up your car without risk of theft.

Don’t leave a spare key fob in your vehicle- This prevents thieves from breaking into your car to see if it can be started and driven away.

Ensure safe storage of Smart Keys/Keyless ignition fobs: Store smart keys away from the vehicle and doors.  Consider investing in a “Faraday bag” to enhance security of the wireless communication system of the vehicle.

To report theft from auto under $5,000 please go to https://www.edmontonpolice.ca/ContactEPS/OnlinePropertyCrime. To report a non-emergency, call the EPS non-emergency line at 780-421-4567 or #377 from a mobile phone. For all crimes in progress, call 911.

 

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Dark Web Tesla Doxxers Used Widely-Popular Parking App Data To Find Targets, Analysis Shows

Published on April 5, 2025

By

 

From the Daily Caller News Foundation

By Thomas English

A dark web doxxing website targeting Tesla owners and allies of Elon Musk appears to be compiled from hacked data originally stolen from a massive ParkMobile app breach in 2021, according to records obtained by a data privacy group. 

The site, known as DogeQuest, first appeared in March and publishes names, home addresses, contact details and other personal information tied to Tesla drivers and DOGE staff. Marketed as a hub for anti-Musk “creative expressions of protest,” the platform has been linked to real-world vandalism and remains live on the dark web. Federal investigations into DogeQuest are already underway, the New York Post first reported.

“If you’re on the hunt for a Tesla to unleash your artistic flair with a spray can, just step outside — no map needed! At DOGEQUEST, we believe in empowering creative expressions of protest that you can execute from the comfort of your own home,” the surface-web DogeQuest site reads. “DOGEQUEST neither endorses nor condemns any actions.”

A screenshot of the DogeQuest surface website captured on April 3, 2025. (Captured by Thomas English/Daily Caller News Foundation)

ObscureIQ, a data privacy group, compiled a breakdown of the data — obtained by the Daily Caller News Foundation — and determined 98.2% of records used to populate the site matched individuals affected by the 2021 ParkMobile breach.

DogeQuest originally appeared as a surface web doxxing hub, encouraging vandalism of Teslas and displaying names, addresses, contact details and, in some cases, employment information for roughly 1,700 individuals. The site used stolen ParkMobile records along with data purchased from brokers, flagging anyone who had a Tesla listed in their vehicle registration profile, according to ObscureIQ’s analysis.

The platform — now operating as “DogeQuest Unleashed” via a .onion dark web address — has also published personal details of high-value targets including senior military officials, federal employees and private sector executives in Silicon Valley. A spreadsheet reviewed by the Daily Caller News Foundation indicates several individuals targeted work areas like cybersecurity, defense contracting, public health and diplomatic policy. DOGE staff and their families appear prominently throughout the data.

A screenshot of DogeQuest's surface website, captured on April 3, 2025. (Captured by Thomas English/Daily Caller News Foundation)

A screenshot of DogeQuest’s surface website, captured on April 3, 2025. (Captured by Thomas English/Daily Caller News Foundation)

No other reporting has yet tied DogeQuest directly to the ParkMobile breach, which impacted over 21 million users in 2021. The company, which facilitates cashless parking across the U.S., quietly disclosed the breach in April of that year, admitting that “basic user information” had been accessed. ObscureIQ’s research shows that exposed data included email addresses, license plate numbers and phone numbers — enough to triangulate identity when paired with commercial data brokers.

The company agreed to a $32 million settlement to resolve a class-action lawsuit stemming from the data breach. The lawsuit alleged that ParkMobile failed to secure its Amazon Web Services cloud storage, allowing access to the data. Although payment data were reportedly not compromised, plaintiffs argued the exposed information still posed serious privacy risks — a claim now reinforced by its use in the DogeQuest doxxing campaign.

Despite federal attention, the site has proven difficult to keep offline, as the dark web mirror incorporates anonymized hosting methods, frustrating law enforcement takedown efforts.

The Department of Justice charged three suspects last week linked to physical attacks on Tesla vehicles, charging stations and dealerships across multiple states, though it has not publicly confirmed any link between those suspects and DogeQuest. Meanwhile, the FBI has acknowledged it is “actively working” on both the doxxing campaign and a parallel rise in swatting incidents affecting DOGE affiliates.

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Crime

Europol takes out one of the largest pedophile networks in the world with almost 2 million users

Published on April 3, 2025

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An international group of police agencies has taken down one of the largest pedophile networks in the world with almost two million users.

Investigators from Bavaria, Germany, announced yesterday that they dismantled an online pedophile platform called “Kidflix” used to distribute child pornography that had around 1.8 million users worldwide. Police carried out raids in 31 countries and arrested 79 people in total.

The European police unit Europol coordinated the operation led by the Bavarian criminal police. Europol announced that around 1,400 suspects have been identified worldwide in “one of the biggest blows against child pornography in recent years, if not ever.”

According to Europol, the platform “Kidflix” was one of the largest pedophile networks in the world. Guido Limmer, deputy head of the Bavarian criminal police, said it was the “largest operation ever” organized by Europol. The platform’s server, with over 70,000 videos at the time, was reportedly shut down by German and Dutch authorities in early March.

The 79 people arrested were not only suspected of having watched or downloaded videos of child sexual abuse but some were also suspected of personally harming children. The police units carried out the raids from March 10 to 23 and reportedly confiscated thousands of electronic devices. In Germany alone, 96 locations were raided. Among the suspects was a 36-year-old man who not only viewed illegal material but also reportedly offered up his young son for sexual abuse. The child was given to child protection services after the man was arrested, the Bavarian police spokesman said.

Limmer also noted that one of the arrested suspects was a “serial” abuser from the United States.

According to Europol, “Kidflix” was set up by cybercriminals in 2021 and became one of the most popular platforms for pedophiles. The international police agency said that the investigation into the network began in 2022.

In October 2024, German police dismantled another large online pedophile network with hundreds of thousands of users, arresting six men associated with the platform.

Last year, Germany’s Federal Criminal Police Office revealed that the cases of sexual abuse against children and adolescents had more than tripled in the past five years.

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