A collaborative effort to combat car theft has been launched in Novosibirsk, Russia, with the signing of a tripartite agreement between the Main Directorate of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation for the region, the city administration, and Russ Outdoor LLC. The initiative aims to prevent vehicle thefts, facilitate their swift detection, and engage in public awareness campaigns. The project is scheduled to commence on June 16.

Police Lieutenant General Andrei Kulkov, head of the department, stated that upon receiving a theft report and the owner’s consent, vehicle data would be relayed to the Regional Center for Operational Management of the Main Directorate of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. Subsequently, law enforcement, in collaboration with the city administration and Russ Outdoor, will disseminate information about the stolen vehicle on 150 digital billboards throughout the city.

Novosibirsk Mayor Maxim Kudryavtsev acknowledged that car theft remains a pressing issue in many regions, including Novosibirsk. He emphasized that this collaborative endeavor would expedite crime resolution and ensure prompt responses to offenses.

Konstantin Matis, head of the local branch of Russ Outdoor, highlighted the effectiveness of digital outdoor advertising in rapidly displaying information on screens, thereby aiding in the search for stolen vehicles.

Kulkov stressed the importance of public participation in the project’s success, urging residents to report any sightings of stolen vehicles to the police by calling 102. He noted that heightened citizen awareness would enable law enforcement to swiftly recover stolen vehicles, and bring offenders to justice.

It was previously announced that access to certain cemeteries in the city would be restricted on June 7 and 8, due to the observance of the Holy Trinity holiday.