(MUNICIPALITY OF NORTH PERTH, ON) On Thursday March 21, 2013, a Perth County Ontario Provincial Police officer (O.P.P.) in Listowel was contacted by a local resident who recognized some of his stolen property that was being offered for sale on an on line free classified ad site.
The officer verified the reported theft of the stolen property and contacted the Wellington County OPP crime unit for all the details of the theft which had occurred in their jurisdiction.
On Friday March 22, 2013, Perth County OPP officers with the assistance of Wellington OPP officers attended a residence in Listowel. At the residence an adult male and female were found to be in possession of the stolen property. The property was seized while the residents were arrested and charged with possession of property obtained by crime under $5,000.00.
The Perth County OPP wants to remind the public that criminals use any number of means to sell and get rid of property they have stolen. With changes in technology, thieves now use free on-line classified sites to advertise their goods. Garage sales, flea markets and newspaper ads, are still used to sell stolen property, however these on-line classified sites are free and they appear to portray a feeling of legitimacy. Beware that you don’t fall victim to purchasing stolen goods on line, as you could also be charged with being in possession of stolen property.
Tips to protect yourself:
Ask the seller to show you original receipts or service records for the property they are selling. By checking the poster’s other ads you may be able to determine if the items appear suspicious. Ask detailed questions about the products and if the deal is too good to be true, it may very well be.
The Perth County OPP requests anyone with information about possible sales of stolen property to contact them at 1-888-310-1122. Should you wish to remain anonymous, you may call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), and you may be eligible to receive a cash reward of up to $2,000.
