(MORRIS-TURNBERRY, ON) – Huron County Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) officers continue to investigate a break-in and theft of a 2014 Can Am Commander 1000 utility vehicle (UTV) and a .22 calibre rifle.
Yesterday afternoon police responded to a farm property northwest of Wingham on Glenannon Road to meet with the property owner. Investigators learned that sometime between 10:00 p.m. on July 5th and 7:00 a.m. on July 6th unknown suspect(s) attended the farm property and entered into an insecure drive shed. Once inside the drive shed those responsible located the UTV parked with the keys inside the vehicle. Also attached to the UTV was a gun case with an unloaded .22 calibre rifle. The suspect(s) simply opened up the large overhead door and drove away on the UTV with the firearm.
Later that same evening around 8:00 p.m. Huron OPP officers received information about a possible stolen side-by-side UTV that was parked behind a business in Brussels. Officers attended the scene and upon checking on the vehicle they confirmed it was the stolen UTV from Glenannon Road. The UTV had been spray painted white however the rest of the vehicle was found to be in decent condition. The stolen firearm was not with the vehicle.
The outstanding firearm is described as a 2010 Savage semi-automatic, .22 calibre rifle, green & black camouflage colour valued at $300.
Firearm owners are reminded of the following storage regulations with vehicles:
Restricted and Prohibited Firearms must be unloaded and a secure locking device must be attached to the firearm and the firearm must be locked in a sturdy, non-transparent container, the bolt removed and locked in the trunk.
Non-restricted firearms need to be locked in the trunk. If the vehicle does not have a trunk or lockable compartment put the firearms and firearms containers out of sight inside the vehicle and lock the vehicle.
Any person with information regarding this incident should immediately contact 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