Thieves thinking about stealing a snowmobile will want to think twice 鈥� it might be a bait sled.
B.C. RCMP announced Wednesday morning that they will be deploying the new bait sleds throughout the province in an effort combat thefts.
They will be similar to bait vehicles. If a sled is stolen, police will be able to remotely track it with the aim of recovering the snowmobile and arresting the thief.
Kamloops RCMP Cpl. Cheryl Bush said police keep the locations of bait a secret so potential thieves are not tipped off.
An obvious spot, though, might be Sun Peaks.
Crime Stoppers reported two snowmobiles taken from the Delta Hotel parking lot overnight on Dec. 5. They were taken along with with the pickup truck they were in.
Bush noted that it's not uncommon for snowmobiles to be stolen from parking lots at hotels and motels in Kamloops as well.
Sgt. Dave Dubnyk said in a press release that snowmobile thefts are a crime of opportunity, especially as people travel for winter vacations.
"As soon as one is taken police will be watching where it is going and will go after those that have it."
Police have the following suggestions:
* Park your vehicles in well-lit areas with good visibility and lots of pedestrian traffic.
* Mark your sleds with an identification number.
* Invest in anti-theft devices for both your tow vehicle and snowmobile.
* Record all identifying information on your equipment including sleds, trucks and trailers and keep it separate from your machines.
* Securely lock all of your equipment.
