Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) is again urging vehicle owners to take some personal action to help curb the number of vehicle thefts across the region. It only takes a second of your time to lock your vehicle and remove the keys, yet the numbers don’t lie, too many people aren’t doing it, they say.

Collectively, the five detachments of Huron, Perth, South Bruce, Grey-Bruce and Wellington have investigated a total of 207 stolen vehicles this year versus 147 during the same period last year.  

The overwhelming majority of these vehicle thefts have been crimes of opportunity. Vehicles are being left unlocked and the ignition key readily accessible often in the vehicle. This makes things rather easy for a thief looking to steal a vehicle. One second your vehicle is in your driveway the next a criminal is using it to commit other crimes.

Routinely these thieves will use the stolen vehicle to commit further criminal offences such as break and enters and thefts. Additionally, the drivers will engage in dangerous driving acts on the roadway and will also fail to stop for police if attempts are made to stop them.

“Please help us combat vehicle theft by doing two simple things: 1) lock your vehicle, 2) pocket your keys! Crime prevention is everyone’s business, and we need you to do your part. Vehicle theft is largely a crime of opportunity, please do your part to take this opportunity away,” said  OPP Acting Detective Staff Sgt. Tyler Stewart in a release.

The solution comes down to vehicle owners taking some basic steps to secure their vehicle and to always remove the ignition key from their vehicle. In addition, don’t leave valuables in your vehicle or personal documents such as vehicle ownership, liability pink slips, credit card invoices or other documents containing personal information in their vehicles, police advise. Identity thieves are looking for such documents so they can assume identities, secure credit card accounts, lease vehicles for export, and even take out a mortgage against victims’ properties without their knowledge.

JUNE 15

3:12 PM | A collision brought emergency services to Herrgott Road, between Lawson Line and Geddes Street, in Wellesley Township. A cement truck was travelling north on Herrgott Road when the driver lost control, travelled off the roadway and overturned before striking at tree. The driver, a 55-year-old Kitchener male was transported by air ambulance to an out-of-region hospital with serious but non-life-threatening injuries. Herrgott Road remained closed for several hours for the investigation. Anyone who witnessed this collision or has any information is asked to call police at 519-570-9777, ext. 8856 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.

JUNE 16

6:55 PM | Police responded to a two-vehicle collision in Woolwich Township after a white Ford heading north on Katherine Street began to turn left into a private drive and into the path of a black Nissan heading south. The driver of the Ford, a 57-year-old New Hamburg man, was charged with ‘change lane – not in safety.’

JUNE 17

12:48 PM | A single-vehicle collision in brought police to Apple Grove Road, near Lobsinger Line in Woolwich Township. A transport truck was travelling south on Apple Grove Road when it got too close to the edge of the roadway and rolled onto its passenger side into a shallow ditch. No injuries were reported as a result of the incident.

1:52 PM | Emergency services responded to the area of Erbs Road and Wilmot Line in Wilmot Township following a collision. A white SUV was travelling west on Erbs Road when the driver attempted to turn left into a private driveway. The white SUV turned in front of a black SUV that was travelling east on Erbs Road and collided with it. The driver of the black SUV, a 58-year-old Kitchener woman, was transported by paramedics to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. A passenger of the black SUV sustained minor injuries. The driver of the white SUV, a 46-year-old Kitchener man, sustained minor injuries. Erbs Road was closed for approximately five hours for the collision investigation. The investigation remains ongoing by the Traffic Services Unit and charges are pending. Anyone who witnessed this collision or has dash-cam footage is asked to call police at 519-570-9777 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.

2:34 PM | Police received a report of a theft in Woolwich Township. Sometime between 3:30 p.m. on June 13 and 12 p.m. on June 17, an unknown suspect(s) removed several metres of wiring from lights and poles installed along the CN trail at Randall Drive and Farmers Market Road. Anyone with information is asked to call police or at 519-570-9777 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.

JUNE 18

10:16 AM | Waterloo Regional Police received a report of a residential break-and-enter in Breslau. Sometime between 11 p.m. on June 16 and 6 a.m. on June 17, an unknown suspect(s) entered an unsecured shed and storage unit located on a property on Village View Road and stole property. Anyone with information is asked to call police or at 519-570-9777 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.

JUNE 20

8:48 AM | Police received a report of a break-and-enter in Woolwich Township. Sometime between June 17 at 5 p.m. and June 20 at 8 a.m., an unknown suspect(s) entered a storage facility in the area of Floradale Road and Church Street West and took property. Anyone with information is asked to call police or at 519-570-9777 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.