`Whacky idea’ by Canadian Police constable on ‘car thefts’ makes world hysterical with laughter / Greater Jammu / Rashmi Talwar

`Whacky idea’ by Canadian Police constable on ‘car thefts’ makes the world hysterical with laughter

Rashmi Talwar

TORONTO (CANADA) 29th March 2024———————-  

Vehicle theft has become the biggest headache for the Canadian Police. Car thefts have caused billions for Canada in insurance money. However, a Police Service Constable, rattled by the increasing number of vehicle thefts came up with a bizarre idea. The idea purportedly got floated during a meeting discussing safety and security. Canadian Police Constable Marco Ricciardi of Toronto Police Service, at a Community Safety meeting in Etobicoke, Greater Toronto came up with a weird solution of “leaving the car keys out at the ‘Front Door’ to avoid being attacked in the home, by a car thief during a break-in”. In his own words, Ricciardi says- “To prevent the possibility of being attacked in your home, leave your ‘fobs’ or Electronic Keys, on your front door.  They break into your homes to steal your car, they don’t want anything else! A lot of them have guns and they are not toy guns, they are loaded!” he said with a straight face to an audience comprising of the best of men and women in Canadian policing.

Places in Canada like Alberta, Edmonton, Vancouver, and Toronto are bustling with immigrant populations from countries worldwide, majorly from India in recent years particularly Punjabi from North India and the Gujarati community. The rate of car thefts is alarming in a developed country like Canada. CFLA (Canadian Finance and Leasing Association) says a vehicle is lifted every 40 minutes. In the USA, a vehicle is stolen every 36 seconds according to the National Geographic documentary –“Smuggling Stolen Cars”. The investigative documentary names  New Jersey in the USA as the stolen car capital of the world, In India the figure of car theft is one car every 12 minutes, mostly in major cities like Delhi, Bombay, Chennai, and Kolkatta.

Before the abrogation of Article 370 in the year 2019, the State of Jammu & Kashmir purportedly was considered the safest haven for stolen vehicles in North India. Stolen vehicles brought to J&K were resold and often used for terrorist activities in the turmoil-ridden Indian state, bordering Pakistan. The vehicles are given tampering, alterations, and erased of all markings before selling them in the bustling second-hand car markets and dealers.  In contrast, cars stolen in Canada undergo no major alternation in stolen Canadian cars, other than to disconnect GPS, unhinge the Bluetooth, etc. They bring the stolen vehicle to the nearest port to be lifted into waiting containers and transported to port cities on other continents.

However a developed country like Canada that is technologically advanced, where laws are extremely stringent and implemented to a high degree, it seems that Canadian police surrendered on policing and shifted the onus of safety and security onto car owners, showing itself to be helpless, says a resident of Toronto, after the video of Ricciardi became viral world over. “It’s policing that needs to be hauled up and the fear of the law has to be effective!”  he added. Canadians are asking if there is a car theft epidemic in Canada. Car thefts have undoubtedly escalated to “national crisis” levels, according to the Insurance Bureau of Canada, an industry group, which said insurers paid a record 1.2 billion Canadian dollars, or about USD 890 million, in theft claims in 2022. For victims, it’s a dizzying, and traumatizing, experience to lose their vehicle/car.

Reactions on multiple fronts

·         Olivia Chow, Mayor of Toronto told the CBC News TV channel that the solution to car theft can be curbed by ‘Killing the source’  which meant tightening the reins and scanning sea-bound containers, especially in Montreal Port of Canada by spot random checking.

·         Vancouver Sun wrote about High-tech car theft where crooks were using sophisticated technology to program their key fobs, often in just minutes. It added that “Thieves break into a vehicle; they plug into the diagnostics port under the dash and download information that lets them program a key fob or the electronic key- to operate the vehicle.

·         Bryan Gast Equite Association Ontario Canada wrote on his ‘X” handle that stolen vehicles were being used as getaway vehicles for crime and funding terrorism and drugs in the country.

·         Sky News Australian  TV on its program “The Outsiders” the three panelists made much fun of Ricciardi and jutted in – “Put all the jewelry on the porch outside- why even that leave your front door open! The message and its optics are not correct – it kind of gives the impression, hey! We have put our hands up! And now make it easy for thieves to take your car! Inserted one of the panelists.

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Hilarious bits fly on social media after Marco Ricciardi’s ‘bizarre’ suggestion

According to the Canadian constable-“The thief merely attempts a break into a house, to get his hands on the car- keys!” This suggestion tickled the funny bone not only in Toronto but the entire world. In the time the video of constable Ricciardi became viral, spoofs mimics, and GIFs had a field day on every social networking site evoking gurgling laughter for humanity, in the somewhat tensed universe what with booming guns in Ukraine and Russia and raging bombings in Israel Hamas Palestine conflict.

·         Promptly after the video went viral one resident announced on a video on ‘X’ formerly Twitter, that he stuck a note on his car for the potential thief that the car keys are in the ignition and the thief can safely drive away the car and cause no harm to the owner.

·         One made a video spoof of adding two teacups, some cookies, and a sugar bowl with silver spoons along with the key, so if the thief felt like, he could have a tea party with his partner along with getting a newly stolen car.

·         A farmer made a video putting two of his chickens in a cage along with car keys as a takeaway gift for car thieves.

·         Toronto Sun reported: Cops tell the public, to surrender, and leave car keys at the door.

·         A victim of car theft of three of his cars, made an elaborate video showing how he has learned a lesson at the suggestion of the Toronto police department especially by Marco Ricciardi, and will now prevent being attacked in case of 4^th or 5^th theft of his cars. In the video he shows a ‘Welcome Sign’ along with a selection of two car keys for the car robbers to choose from, a bowl of snacks, and cookies, some jelly beans and gummies, some grab-and-go drinks, and assures that everything is allergy-free, so the thief can have a hearty meal and drive away in luxury!” and adds -“ I will make sure that the front entrance is super clean so that the thief may not slip and trip and his whole operation is successful”. In the end thanking the Toronto chief for this ‘brilliant’ suggestion!”

Vehicles are stolen and are immediately shipped to various destinations around the world where these cars land up using Canadian number plates

Nearly 3000 vehicles were stolen in Ontario province in the past seven weeks out of which only 157 have been found. High-end vehicles are stolen, found in sea cans, to port cities, the money funding other crimes.

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Methods to prevent

1.      Devices steering lock club is a functional deterrent

2.      Car manufacturers should produce Foolproof computer assisted fob to prevent hacking

3.      Put car-fob or electronic key using a Faraday pouch, and close it firmly, it prevents radio frequency from emitting

4.      Steering wheel club lock another known barrier for car theft.

5.      Aftermarket immobilizer is also effective

6.      Onboard diagnostic port lock that prevents plugging in and reprogramming

7.      Sensor lights in the driveway for odd hours

8. Low-fitted home cameras 10-12 feet best for optimum video quality

Toyota, Honda, Lexus, Acura, Land Rover, SUVs, are the preferred cars to steal in Canada

In India is Maruti Swift, Wagon R, Honda City, i10, Hyundai Creta, Hyundai Grand, and Maruti Dzire are high on the list of stolen cars

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4 Ways to track a stolen car:

·         How to Locate a Stolen Car by License Plate Number

When a car is reported as stolen, the police will request the vehicle’s make, model, and license plate number, which is then flagged to local patrol cars and surveillance cameras on the entry-exit route or nakas.

·         How to locate the car using a pre-installed GPS tracker?

Tracking systems are available on a monthly subscription. To install a tracker, it needs to be fitted to the car and synced to a mobile device. The car’s movement speed and whereabouts are tracked and recorded for a set period.

·         How to Track a Stolen Car with Bluetooth

If a car connects to a phone via Bluetooth tracker, try connecting to the car to see if it is in range. Find the location using a pre-installed Bluetooth tracking system.

If it doesn’t connect, Bluetooth may have been disabled.

·         How to Locate a Stolen Car by VIN

If a thief has maintenance work or repairs done to be done legitimately on a stolen car, they must provide the vehicle’s VIN (Vehicle Identification Number). Obtaining the car’s VIN history reveals the activity relating to the thief. This information can be passed on to the police.

Hamilton, Etobicoke, Toronto Vancouver, Quebec, license plates of Canada are common in Ghana as seen in an investigative documentary on CBC TV

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The writer can be reached at rashmitalwarno1@gmail.com

Viral video of Former PM Indira Gandhi’s Assassination by her bodyguards in Canada/ GREATER JAMMU/ Rashmi Talwar

Viral video of Former PM Indira Gandhi’s Assassination by her bodyguards in Canada

Rashmi Talwar

Viral video of Former PM Indira Gandhi’s Assassination by her bodyguards in Canada

Larger underlying issue: Indian FM 

Rashmi Talwar

AMRITSAR 8^th June 2023— Lashing out at Canada over a free run to Khalistan radicals, the Indian Foreign Minister Dr. S Jaishankar, in a direct warning said “It’s not good for Canada!” The FM fumed over a video, that became viral,  purportedly taken on 4^th June in the streets of Brampton, a pocket area of Ontario Province, with a sizable Sikh population. That makes the event held merely two days before the observance of Operation Bluestar day i.e. ‘Ghallughara Diwas’ on 6^th June, by Sikh radicals. 

The video depicted the former PM Indira Gandhi with her signature crop of black hair, with raised her hands, supposedly in alarm, dressed in a white Saree, smeared in blood, as cut-outs of Sikh bodyguards in NSG Uniforms, as two killers Beant Singh and Satwant Singh, were depicted firing at her from a light machine gun and a revolver. The scene was recreated from the actual assassination of a PM in office on Oct 31^st, 1984. It was the same year of army Op Bluestar in the Golden Temple to flush out terrorists from the holiest Sikh shrine in Amritsar.

On a moving vehicle, the life-size statue of Indira Gandhi is seen standing on artificial green turf representing the time when she was crossing the garden in her PM house, and the two cardboard uniformed bodyguards opened fire at her. She is seen flaying her arms in alarm. A board, half hidden by her figure, reads “Revenge for Op Bluestar at Harmandir Sahib” (Golden Temple).

The Tableaux called the ‘Shaheedi Float’ on Public display as a floater on a street in Brampton was created to mark the 39^th anniversary of Op Bluestar. In the video,  some nearby and distant homes and pines could be seen. In an adjoining road to the tableaux, women in Punjabi salwar Kameez were seen in groups as the tableaux moved on the street.

Dr S Jaishankar taking umbrage to the allowance of such horrific assassination, display against a former PM of India, during a vocal address, castigated Canada, and said- I think there is a bigger issue involved. And the bigger issue involved is really the space that Canada has continuously given. Frankly, to us we are at a loss to understand, other than the vote-bank politics, why would anybody do this.          Because if you look at their history, you would imagine that they would’ve learned from their history and not repeat it. So it isn’t one incident,  I think there is a larger underline issue about the space which is given to separatists, to extremists  to people who advocate violence, and  I think it is not good for relationships and it is  not good for Canada!”

Jitandar Singh, a communication expert, wrote in a post on Twitter in response to the video “A country allowing such an event has to introspect. All these are clear signs of weak political leadership. Canadian citizens should worry about their political future. Appeasement does not help in the long run.”  And further added –“For the sake of the country, the Government needs to do everything to crush them using all possible measures and also their connections, and sympathizers here. They are rapidly growing in their adventurism.” He quoted “The farm law repeal, apology to the protesters, soft approach to them after their R-Day raid on Red Fort, yearlong highway blockades sent a wrong message. They have become more motivated and emboldened.”

Michael  Carvalho, another Twitterati, responded –“Political sensitivity towards Sikh minority especially in British Columbia, Ontario and Alberta seems to hinder a full-scale crackdown.

The most tragic irony of this situation is that the Khalistani propaganda hurts Sikh sentiments and Sikhs in their own home country and is actually tarnishing Sikh tenets. The  Sikh community in India is greatly against the Khalistani elements propagating Khalistan from foreign shores.

A professor at Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar lashed out at such elements and asked them to send their children and come themselves to give the supreme sacrifices of giving their lives,  if they desire a Khalistan. “We certainly don’t want it!”.

It may be mentioned, that last year the same radicals held a controversial referendum for the formation of Khalistan, in the Brampton area.

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Ujjal Dosanjh Indo-Canadian Sikh politician

In a recent interactive session at Majha House, a cultural hub in Amritsar Ujjal Dosanjh, the first India-born Canadian provincial leader, when queried over Khalistan displays in Canada explained it as an attention-seeking and importance-creating tactic of migrated Canadian youth. A Sikh lady countered the Canadian politician –“I think the Indian diaspora in Canada,  needs to ask some of us in India whether we want a Khalistan or not. It seems our opinion doesn’t matter and we are the ones who will be subjected to it”, pipped in Deepa Swani.

Dosanjh then was at pains to explain his views and stated-“In 1984,  time of peak militancy in Punjab –“I called out Khalistan as a pipe dream!  I still stand by it. It won’t happen, because people in Punjab don’t want it.  And some of us suggested to self-professed Khalistanis to -Go buy land in Alberta where land is quite flat like  Punjab, and set it up (as Khalistan), don t bug the people back home in India”.

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Manipulation for political gains!

“The era of foreign entities stirring up communal tensions in India is regrettably resurfacing in high-frequency Incidents where armed Sikhs attack the Indian diaspora. Incidents of attempts to vandalize temples in Australia, and disrespecting the Indian flag in the UK are recent glaring examples that experts put to tactics to ‘spite’ India due to his sovereign stand in the war between Ukraine and Russia. India preferred to be neutral instead of taking sides between EU & US-supported Ukraine and Russia supported by China. India preferred to look after its own and its people’s interests instead of being dragged into the war.

This is one of the prime reasons to rile India by encouraging anti-India sentiment in countries abroad.

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India’s Gigantic Response with a Gigantic Indian Flag!

Indian High Commission not only responded to Khalistan supporters, who tried to replace the Indian Tricolour with the Khalistan flag, in London recently, but also took a serious tit-for-tat approach, to the security breach issues at its HC offices in London, that was tactically overlooked by the British.

A giant size Indian National Flag, on the Indian mission’s building, was installed in minutes, replacing the desecrated small one as Khalistanis tried to take down the Indian flag and hoist their own.  India thus gave a clear signal of supremacy to Khalistanis and British alike.

Alternately, India also visibly reduced security in the British HC in Delhi as a retaliatory measure to drive home the point, leading London to immediately reinforce security around Indian HC in London.

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Canadian Premier shows why he’s ‘Justin Singh’/ By Rashmi Talwar / Kashmir Images

Canadian Premier shows why he’s ‘Justin Singh’

Rashmi Talwar

Seemingly unmindful of Modi-led government’s half-hearted response to his visit, the Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau today visited Amritsar, enthralling the locals in a big way.

It may be recalled that Justin Trudeau’s visit was in a way, downplayed by the Union Government but his Punjab connection undoubtedly made it a memorable one.

If Justin Trudeau is sometimes also referred to as ‘Justin Singh’- it is not without a reason.

The Canadian Prime Minister, who has more Sikhs in his cabinet than his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi, today showed how close he is with the Sikh community when upon arrival in the holy city he straight away drove to the Golden Temple.

Attired in an embroidered Kurta-Pajama with a saffron ‘Patka’ on his head and accompanied by his wirfe Sophie Gregoire Trudeau in lime green Kameez Palazzo, and two of his three children Ella Grace and Xavier in Punjabi ethnic wear, the Premier was received by Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri, and Navjot Singh Sidhu, State Minister for Tourism, at the Amritsar airport. Trudeau was received at the Golden Temple by former Deputy Chief Minister of Punjab and Akali Dal President Sukhbir Badal and taken around the ‘parikarma’ or circumbulation of the holy shrine by the office bearers of Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee (SGPC) including its president Gobind Singh Longowal.

The visiting Premier prayed at the Sanctum Santorum of the temple during an almost hour long visit to the shrine. Trudeau and his family also tried rolling out ‘rotis’ at the Guru Ram Dass Langar Hall, where pilgrims undertake voluntary kitchen chores for feeding other pilgrims. They greeted devotees with folded hands while scores of visitors could be seen holding their mobile phones to take pictures and videos with the Trudeaus.

A thick security blanket was in place in and around the Golden Temple with SGPC task force making a human chain to keep pilgrims at bay at the Temple premises. Trudeau was presented a specially crafted 24-Carat Gold plated portrait of the shrine and a gold plated Siri –Sahib (a small six inch sword) along with a ‘Siropa’- a robe of honour by the SGPC.

In the visitors book Justin Trudeau wrote-“What an honour to be so well received at such a beautiful, meaningful place. We are filled with grace & humility”.