33 Vehicles Stolen In Perth

(PERTH COUNTY, ON) – This past weekend Perth County Ontario Provincial Police officers were dispatched to two rural residences from where vehicles were stolen.

On Friday evening August 19, 2016, a resident from Perth Line 86, west of Listowel contacted police and reported the theft of a Grey 2005 Chevrolet Silverado from a driveway. The theft occurred sometime between 11 p.m. Thursday August 18th and 4 a.m. Friday August 19th. The vehicle has a regular cab and had licence plates FW7499 attached. The vehicle was left unlocked with the key in the ignition.

On Saturday August 20, 2016, shortly before 3 a.m., Perth County OPP officers were dispatched to a rural residence along Line 32, west of Stratford where a car had just been stolen. The owners told police that the sound of a vehicle in the driveway awakened them around 2:50 a.m. The owners advised that their Toyota corolla which had been parked in the driveway, unlocked with the keys inside had been stolen. A check of the other vehicle parked in the owners driveway, revealed that $140 cash had been removed from the owners wallet that had been left inside the unlocked vehicle.

Police searched for the stolen Toyota but were unable to locate it. Shortly after 8:30 a.m. on Saturday August 20th, Huron County OPP officers were called to Hanna Line near Egmondville where the stolen Toyota Corolla had been discovered completely burned out. The culprits had removed the wheels and installed four replacement wheels prior to setting the vehicle ablaze.

These two thefts bring the total to 33 stolen vehicles in Perth County this year, with the majority of these 33 vehicles having been left unlocked with the keys inside. Most of these 33 vehicles have been pickup trucks and they have been stolen from rural properties.

The Perth County OPP urges everyone to lock their vehicles and remove the ignition key. It sounds so simple, but many vehicle owners just don’t take this to heart. Crime prevention really should be on everyone’s mind, we urge you to take some personal responsibility when it comes to protecting your own property.

Tips to protect your vehicle and valuables from theft;

Always roll up your vehicle’s windows

Lock the doors and pocket the keys when you park your car.

Always park your vehicle in a well-lit area.

If you have a garage, use it and lock the garage door as well as your vehicle.

Never leave your vehicle unattended while it is running

Never leave valuable objects or packages in full view.

Watch out for suspicious people or activity in your neighbourhood. Call police immediately, don’t delay; your information may help solve a crime.

Any person with information about these stolen vehicles, or any other crime, should immediately contact the Perth County OPP at 1-888-310-1122. Should you wish to remain anonymous, you may call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), you may be eligible to receive a cash reward of up to $2,000.

Over 150,000 Monthly Readers! 1 Million+ Across the entire FreePress Network.