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Holiday dash and grabs part of the season Christmas is a time of giving, yet for organized thieves from the Lower Mainland the holiday season is a perfect time for taking. Staff Sgt.

Holiday dash and grabs part of the season Christmas is a time of giving, yet for organized thieves from the Lower Mainland the holiday season is a perfect time for taking. Staff Sgt. Jim Eglinski of the Whistler RCMP detachment, suggests people take a little extra time during the holiday season to protect their valuables, as crooks are always on the lookout for a quick grab and dash. Recently, a number of hotel rooms have been burgalarized. "We haven't got the amount or volume of hotel break-ins to say that we are greatly concerned with it," says Eglinski. "The amount's not out of proportion this winter, I'd say it's on par for the resort." Eglinski says most of the hotel break-ins that occur in Whistler are the work of organized thieves looking for an easy mark in the laid-back resort atmosphere. He says the best way to thwart a would-be thief is a little common sense. "People have got to make sure their valuables are stored out of sight," Eglinski says. "Nobody is going to go into a room and start stirring things up, it's usually just a quick dash and grab. Any valuables left unattended should be left at the front desk." Eglinski says hotels in the resort are very good at maintaining their security systems. "With the amount of employees at some of these places it's not hard for pass keys to get lost and then come into the wrong hands," he says. "It could also be a case of somebody needing some quick cash, so he sells somebody a key." One local locksmith says business always picks up around the holiday season as local hotels are continually updating their security systems.