By Adam Frisk

Officers with the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) say they are investigating an uptick in property crime including break-ins at several businesses in downtown Haliburton over the weekend.

Police are seeking to identify a suspect after multiple businesses were allegedly broken into early Saturday morning.

“OPP are investigating several break and enters in downtown Haliburton reported early on September 20, 2025,” police said in a statement. “Cash was stolen from local businesses and attempts were made to enter four separate locations.”

Kim Emmerson said that Emmerson Lumber was among the several businesses targeted in the weekend incidents.

“At 2:30 in the morning someone forced their entry in an attempt to rob us,” Emmerson said Saturday afternoon. “Fortunately our security system worked and they got scared off and only got away with some loose change from employee lockers.”

Over on Highland Street, a restaurant was also targeted in the alleged break and enters.

Brendon Clarke, co-owner of Kosy Korner, said a suspect tried to gain entry to the establishment by smashing a window. Fortunately the suspect did not manage to get into the building. However, this was the second time in a week Kosy Korner had been the target of a break-in, Clarke said.

“At 6 a.m. last Saturday we had a guy come in, he jimmied the front door somehow, he tried to get in through the window but didn’t get in,” Clarke said. “He kicked the front door and took an envelope out of the cash register and after about 12 seconds our alarm went off and it seemed like he then bailed. And then he was back last night and broke the window.”

Early in the week business owners and local authorities told the newspaper there’s been an influx in property crime in the Haliburton Highlands.

“Police are actively investigating a spike in property crime in the Haliburton Highlands,” an OPP spokesperson said in a Sept. 17 telephone interview.

While the police force said it couldn’t get into specifics of the investigations, including the locations of the reported crime, the apparent spike comes just after a pick-up truck was allegedly stolen from outside an establishment on Highlight Street in broad daylight earlier this month.

Several businesses in the downtown told the newspaper they have noticed an increase in property theft, vandalism and general loitering in recent months.

“We are a little more aware of it now because of what we have heard about things happening here,” Janet Stewart at Lockside Trading Company.

At the start of summer, police said they were investigating “repeated acts of vandalism” in downtown Haliburton after a number of vehicles were spray painted, according to police.

“If you witnessed anything suspicious, have security footage, or have any information, please call the Haliburton OPP,” authorities said in a press release.

Obtaining security footage of an apparent wrongdoing can be difficult for authorities and vehicle owners because cameras are very few and far between in the downtown area.

“That’s the problem,” Stewart said. “But the other problem is that it’s costly and a lot of businesses can’t afford it.”

Another problem businesses face when it comes to having storefront video cameras is that navigating privacy laws can be difficult. Owners could be in violation of the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act.

In Ontario, businesses are required by law to let people know they have security cameras. They do this by putting up signs, usually at the entrance and in other areas where cameras are located. These signs serve as a heads-up that you’re being recorded, and by entering, you’re essentially giving your consent.

However, businesses can’t just point cameras anywhere. They have to target security-focused locations like entryways, while keeping them out of private areas. It’s also against the rules to record anything outside of the business’s own property, including public sidewalks or a neighbour’s lot.

Haliburton Business Improvement Area’s Brandon Nimigon said the issue of privacy can be difficult to navigate.

“It’s a question of privacy and who has access to the footage and cameras,” Nimigon said. “Some people live stream the downtown area which I’m not a huge fan of just for privacy reasons, you know.”

Nimigon said he hasn’t been approached by businesses about issues with property crime but would welcome a discussion, but as for video monitoring in downtown, he feels it might be more for the municipality to navigate.

The Municipality of Dysart et al faces the same challenges and even more hurdles when it comes to public surveillance by a public entity. The municipality has a few cameras erected at Head Lake Park, for example, but it took a public survey and lengthy community engagement to get the green light. It’s a delicate task for the township to “balance public safety with public privacy.”

“When we want to install a new public camera, we have to put out a public survey to let everyone know it is coming and gather feedback and concerns before going ahead,” Tamara Wilbee, Dysart et al’s chief administrative officer, said in an email. While there hasn’t been any discussion with the current BIA, they may have some opinions on the matter as cameras would likely need to be mounted on private property to be powered with electricity and internet connections.

“They also can only be mounted in places where there is a proven need for the added security or surveillance,” Wilbee said.