By Jenn Watt
Police are asking members of the public to lock their vehicles and report anything that seems amiss following several thefts in Haliburton village.
Provincial Constable Michael Melnychuk of the Haliburton Highlands OPP said in the last two weeks police received reports of one vehicle stolen in Dysart et al items taken from two motor vehicles in Dysart et al and items stolen from one vehicle in Minden.
Owners of the car stolen from Cattail Road in Haliburton on Wednesday Aug. 14 said the car had been left unlocked with the keys in it. On Thursday Aug. 22 it was found in the hospital parking lot across town.
On Tuesday Aug. 20 Dennis Casey caught a thief in the act just before 5 a.m. when he noticed the car light on as he was preparing his morning coffee at home in Haliburton.
“Dennis got up and he went to put the coffee on … he said ‘the lights are on in the car’” said Roxanne Casey Dennis’s wife. “Then he realized it was someone in my car. He just yelled out the window ‘can I help you?’ and [the person] bee-lined it out of there.”
Casey said the man had a slim build and was wearing a hoodie. He stole some stamps and a lottery ticket.
Another theft was reported to police on Wednesday Aug. 21 after someone broke into the Thrift Warehouse on Mallard Road in Haliburton.
“We do have them on video. It was about 6 o’clock [Wednesday] morning” said Stacy McLean who works for SIRCH Community Services which runs the warehouse as a social enterprise. “It was one person. We do have them on camera. They [jimmied] a side door.”
McLean said the person stole antiques and the donation jar taking only about eight minutes to gather up the items. Costume jewelry an antique hair clipper antique books an antique amplifier and Bunnykins dishes were taken.
Melnychuk said anyone reporting suspicious activity can do so through the OPP communications centre at any time by calling 1-888-310-1122 or by going online to OPP.ca . On the website you can also find information about the Safeguard program offered free by the police which includes a survey of your property with suggestions on improving security.
He said it was important to contact police about anything that seems suspicious happening in the neighbourhood.
“People may think it’s not a big thing but all they have to do is give us a call and we’ll come talk to them or give them a phone call and at least we can create an occurrence [report] and see where these suspicious activities are taking place” he said.