'What can I do to stay safe?': Woman warns car owners after car gets stolen twice in Winnipeg

A woman from St. Paul, Minn., is warning Winnipeg car owners after her vehicle was stolen two times in three weeks.

The first incident happened within hours of Emilia Nowaczewski moving to Winnipeg. The University of Manitoba student’s car was taken from a paid parking lot on Broadway near Edmonton Street.

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“I never thought this would happen,” Nowaczewski said.

At the time, police were able to retrieve her vehicle from Stella Walk. After that, Nowaczewski equipped her car with deterrents, including a steering wheel lock and a hidden air tag.

But three weeks later, her 2002 Chrysler Concorde was stolen again – just a block from where the first incident took place.

“Of course, I had the air tag this time, you know, as a safety measure,” she said.

The sawed steering wheel of Emilia Nowaczewski's stolen 2002 Chrysler Concorde. Uploaded Sept. 3, 2024. (Emilia Nowaczewski)

Nowaczewski was able to track the car to the same area near Stella Walk, before it was left in a lot on St. Paul Avenue.

“To get through the steering wheel lock, the person who stole my car took a hacksaw or something and sawed through my steering wheel,” she said.

According to Nowaczewski, police also found an alcoholic beverage, a bullet and a casing in her car.

“I realized I have to get it back to Minnesota as soon as possible,” Nowaczewski recalled. “I can’t leave it in Winnipeg for even another night, you know?”

As a precaution, Nowaczewski drove the vehicle back to her home in St. Paul.

“It can happen that cars can be stolen multiple times,” said Elliott Silverstein, CAA government relations director. “If people are looking for a particular type of vehicle, or if there’s a crime of opportunity and people are looking for a car and it’s in that area and relatively accessible.”

A bullet casing found inside Emilia Nowaczewski's vehicle after it was stolen two times in three weeks. Uploaded Sept. 3, 2024. (Emilia Nowaczewski)

According to the Winnipeg police calls for service map, downtown is a hot spot for car thieves, with 33 stolen vehicle calls made in the area between Aug. 19 and 25.

“It’s happening more and more through the year,” Silverstein said.

The incidents have left Nowaczewski on edge.

“My car’s gotten stolen twice, what can I do to be safe?” she asked. “I don’t know, keep my phone on me and be prepared to call 911? It’s a little frustrating.”

But Nowaczewski said she’s prepared to deal with it if it means her great-grandmother’s car won’t be taken for a third time.

When it comes to preventing car thefts, Manitoba Public Insurance (MPI) offers the following tips:

•  Never leave your vehicle unlocked, unattended and running for any length of time;

•  Don’t leave keys in your vehicle;

•  Always remember to lock your vehicle;

•  Park your vehicle in a well-lit area; and

•  Avoid hanging your keys by the door – put them in a safer, out-of-sight place.

If your vehicle ends up being stolen, experts recommend contacting the police and MPI right away.