A Molly Maid vehicle was broken into this week and a number of clients’ house keys and fobs were stolen.
Molly Maid marketing manager Kelly Riley-Dunbavin told Peace Arch News via email Thursday that the company “swiftly” dealt with the incident after discovering the break in at 6:30 a.m. on Oct. 21.
She wrote that a Molly Maid vehicle, which was used by a longtime route manager, was broken into between 9:30 p.m. and 6:30 a.m. on Oct. 20-21.
Riley-Dunbavin wrote that a report was filed with the RCMP, which Surrey RCMP confirmed to PAN, and the Surrey-White Rock franchisee immediately contacted and spoke to each of the seven customers whose keys were stolen.
“Taken from the car was a binder containing very limited information for seven MOLLY MAID customers (six actual keys, and 2 fobs that accompanied the keys and one door code) as well as a bag of MOLLY MAID cleaning cloths. Fortunately, the keys/fobs/entry code corresponded to a secure and unique coding system that only the Route Manager would be able to decipher,” she wrote.
Riley-Dunbavin wrote that the two fobs were deactivated and the door code was immediately changed.
“We worked with two locksmiths to have the locks of the remaining six homes changed immediately,” she wrote.
Riley-Dunbavin reported that no clients’ homes were broken into as a result of the incident.
“We, at Support Office, are very proud of the way our local franchisee, over 32 years, dealt with this matter,” she wrote.
Police frequently issue reminders to the public to lock their vehicles and not store garage openers inside their car.
Last week, a small business-owner was left “crushed” after a thief stole 100-plus “luxury” dog outfits from an unlocked vehicle in South Surrey.
READ MORE: Theft of dog-outfits ‘a huge hit’ to South Surrey mother-daughter business
Kathy Neumeyer told PAN the theft occurred overnight Oct. 17-18 outside her home near 33 Avenue and 148A Street.
Neumeyer and her daughter, Chantel, sell sweaters and raincoats for pups of all sizes under the Chantel’s Sharper Barker brand.
“It’s her design and it’s her inspiration,” Neumeyer said, of the business inspired by Chantel’s dachshund, Dash. “I’m mad and she’s sad. It’s kind of a big hit.”
The Surrey RCMP issued a news release Oct. 17 saying that there has been an increase in overnight residential break-and-enters in the city.
In many cases, police reported, the residential break-ins occurred after suspects accessed a garage door opener that had been stored inside a vehicle parked on the driveway of the home.
Thursday, Surrey RCMP Const. Richard Wright stressed the importance of not leaving anything of value inside a vehicle, including garage door openers or keys.
