Times are tough.

The price of gas rises, so does gas theft.

The price of new and used cars is on the rise, so vehicle theft is rising as well.

A specific kind of distraction theft is on the rise, and it’s affecting dealers.

Two people, could be men or women, will drive on to a dealer’s lot in a nice car, an Escalade, BMW or a Jag. The plates are usually stolen and, as things turn out, the car probably is too.

They ask about a nice car, and either they are handed the keys, or in some cases they just grab them, in either case, most dealers report being distracted or even physically assaulted.

So far, the calls are coming from the GTA and Southwestern Ontario.

Be alert, especially be aware of where those keys are and consider going with the customer on test drives.