Canberra car thefts on the rise as ACT police urge residents to lock vehicles even for a few minutes

In just a matter of minutes, while she went inside the house to get her phone, Catherine’s car — containing the ashes of her parents and grandparents — was stolen.

Catherine was on her way out for lunch, and had tossed her handbag in the car parked at the rear of the house in Canberra’s inner south, before realising she had forgotten her phone.

While she was inside — for only a few minutes — her car was stolen.

In addition to her handbag, the car contained other priceless items,…