SOUTH STORMONT, Ontario – SDG OPP are seeking the public’s assistance in regards to multiple thefts from vehicles that occurred during the evening of Wednesday, Aug. 21, and morning of Thursday, Aug. 22 in the Lunenburg area.
Officers are looking to obtain any outdoor surveillance videos or reports of suspicious persons as several parked vehicles at residences on County Rd. 18 were entered. Canadian currency, wallets containing credit cards, tools and an Onboard Diagnositics reader (OBD) were stolen.
“It’s the summer. People forget to lock their vehicles and then they become victims,” said Tylor Copeland, SDG OPP Communications Officer. Copeland said that thefts from vehicles occur across the region, in each municipality of Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry, especially during warmer months. He maintained that the investigation is ongoing.
According to OPP Staff Sgt. Kahn during a South Stormont Council meeting on August 14, thefts from vehicles in the municipality throughout the month of July had risen by 66 per cent in frequency from July of 2018. Sgt. Kahn said that an arrest had been made however, and all thefts from vehicles has ceased for a period of time.
Officers are encouraging locals to ‘lock it or lose it’ and place items of value out of sight so victimization can be avoided. Taking the following are encouraged through the Lock It or Lose It program:
• Always roll up your vehicle’s windows, lock the doors and pocket the key.
• If you have a garage, use it and lock the door as well as your vehicle.
• Keep your vehicle registration certificate/proof of insurance on you at all times.
• Always park your vehicle in a well-lit area.
• Never leave valuable objects or packages in full view. Put them in the trunk.
• Never leave your vehicle unattended while it is running.
Under the program, officers may examine vehicles to determine if they are locked and no valuables have been left in plain view. A notice may be placed on every vehicle in which safety precautions could be improved upon, specifying how.
