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STOLEN LIVES MEDIA ADVISORY

The stories of real car thieves, their victims and bait-car footage of police chases and crashes will be coming to a high school near you.

Stolen Lives, the auto-crime documentary created by the RCMP and inspired by The Province's 2005 series, is being distributed to every high school in B.C.

Teachers with students in grades 9 to 12 will be able to use the half-hour documentary -- which has been controversial for its profanity and graphic footage -- to educate students on the real consequences of auto theft.

"It's a dream come true," said Kelowna RCMP Sgt. Tim Shields, who spearheaded the film and shot about half the footage.

"I can't tell you the number of people who've told me that we'd never get it in front of students across B.C., that government would never endorse it or the Ministry [of Education] would never endorse it . . . I felt a real sense of crossing the finishing line when that announcement was made yesterday."

Contrary to what skeptics have said, Education Minister Shirley Bond and Solicitor-General John Les have endorsed the film as a "compelling resource" that will help students make the right decisions.

It took three and a half years to make the documentary, which has been showcased at the New York International Independent Film Festival and has another upcoming screening in L.A. on Oct. 1.

In 2006, 17,000 vehicles were stolen across B.C., down from 21,000 in 2005, according to the Insurance Corporation of B.C.

About $70 million in stolen-vehicle claims were paid out last year by ICBC.

Shields was prompted to make the film after learning about the death of a drug-addicted young man who died in a stolen-car crash in Surrey four years ago.

Back in 1997, that same man was an 18-year-old car thief that Shields was in pursuit of. When he finally caught up to the car thief, Shields says the 18-year-old confessed that cocaine and heroin addiction was behind his brazen behaviour.

"I told him, 'Listen, if you don't get treatment for your drug addiction, you know it's going to kill you,'" said Shields. "Well sure enough, in 2003, he was a passenger in a stolen car that went through a stop sign and hit a semi -- and he was killed."

The film takes the same name as The Province's acclaimed series that gave an in-depth look at the dangerous world of auto theft. The series was nominated for a National Newspaper Award and Jack Webster Award.

The film was produced by the Vancouver Police Department's Odd Squad with a $100,000 grant from the Autoplan Brokers of BC and the participation of IMPACT and ICBC. See the trailer at www.oddsquad.com.

 

NEWS RELEASE
For Immediate Release
2007EDU0119-001110
Sept. 12, 2007

Ministry of Education
Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General

AUTO THEFT PREVENTION FILM DELIVERED TO B.C. SCHOOLS

KELOWNA - Stolen Lives, a DVD and companion teacher's guide about the
consequences of auto theft, will soon be available to all B.C. schools
with students in grades 9 to 12, Education Minister Shirley Bond and
Solicitor General John Les announced today.

"This is a compelling resource that will help students learn to make
smart, responsible decisions for the rest of their lives," said Bond.
"Teachers throughout the province will now have the option to use Stolen
Lives as a powerful addition to their lessons in planning and healthy
decision making."

According to the Insurance Corporation of British Columbia (ICBC), about
17,000 vehicles were stolen in 2006, down from 21,000 in 2005. In
addition to the tragedies that result far too often from a car theft,
ICBC paid out approximately $70 million in stolen vehicle claims in
2006.

"Auto theft affects everyone, young and old, drivers and pedestrians,
innocent victims and families," said Les. "In 2005 alone, 171 people
were injured and nine were killed in crashes related to auto theft. If
young people are pressured to steal a car or tag along on a joyride,
they need to know there can be tragic consequences."

Recognizing that the majority of car thieves begin stealing cars in
their teens for joyriding or to feed a drug habit, Sgt. Tim Shields from
the Kelowna RCMP worked with Odd Squad Productions to create Stolen
Lives. The film aims to educate youth and prevent auto theft by making
the link between stealing cars and using drugs, while spotlighting the
real consequences of auto crime.

"If showing young people the tragic consequences of auto theft and drug
addiction can save just one life, then this initiative is worth the
thousands of hours invested by a large team of dedicated volunteers," said Shields.

The Autoplan Broker Road Safety Program, a partnership of the Credit
Union Insurance Services Association, Insurance Brokers Association of
B.C. (IBABC) and ICBC, funded the production as part of its mandate to
educate the public, promote positive road safety behaviour change and
reduce auto-related injuries, fatalities and crimes.

"Auto crime really is an epidemic in this province," said Sharon Knotts,
2nd vice president of IBABC. "By sponsoring Stolen Lives and getting it
out to the schools, we can educate youth about the real consequences of
stealing cars, and then maybe we can help stop the cycle of tragedy
before it begins."

The documentary premiered in Vancouver in May. The Ministry of Education
will cover the costs of distributing the DVD and teacher's guide to B.C.
schools.

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