(South Huron, ON) – Members of the Huron OPP have been busy investigating a rash of smash and grab thefts in Exeter over the past few days. Most involve vehicles being entered and one involved the New Orleans Pizza being broken into during the night of May 5- 6, 2011. Purses and coins and other items were taken from the locked vehicles. While some people state that they leave their cars unlocked so the culprits don’t break the windows if they are going to steal something, the key to preventing most of these thefts is to leave your vehicle visibly empty when you are not in it. These smash and grabs are occurring in broad daylight and sometimes in busy areas. They happen very quickly.
Police are following up on leads and the investigations are continuing. In the meantime, we have the following checklist for the public to reduce the risk of becoming a target for these crimes as well.
Never leave valuable objects or packages in full view in the vehicle. These include purses, wallets, loose change, passports, GPS units, laptops, cameras and more. Many people have their vehicle entered when they “just leave it for a momentâ€.
Always roll up your windows, lock your doors and keep your keys.
Never leave your vehicle unattended while it is running.
Park your vehicle in a well lit area.
Use a garage if you have one and lock the garage door as well.
Any person with information regarding these thefts should immediately contact the Huron OPP at 1-888-310-1122 or (519) 524-8314.
Should you wish to remain anonymous, you may call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), where you may be eligible to receive a cash reward of up to $2,000.