KANATA – The Ontario Provincial Police are on the lookout for a sideswiping would-be bandit who tried to steal a trailer off the side of Highway 417.

The OPP Ottawa are searching for a person it says attempted to steal a trailer with construction equipment on it, before side-swiping a vehicle on Highway 417 in Kanata, and taking off. 

Police say someone travelling eastbound on the highway, Tuesday morning, between Eagleson Road and Moodie Drive, pulling a two-axle trailer with approximately $130,000 worth of construction equipment on it, realized that the trailer had a flat tire so he pulled onto the shoulder.

The trailer was left unattended, just west of Moodie Drive, for a short period of time while a new tire was purchased nearby.

The owner of the trailer returned to the scene around 7:30 a.m. and saw a blue Ford extended cab pick-up truck parked in front of the trailer with a man trying to attach the trailer to the truck. 

The driver of the truck is described as:

• Caucasian man
• Dark hair
• Slender build
• Approximately 5′ 8″ to 5′ 9″ 
• Estimated to be in his late 40s 

The trailer owner parked his vehicle directly in front of the Ford and moments later, the suspect got into the blue pick-up and fled the scene quickly without the trailer, side-swiping the other vehicle in the process.

The suspect’s vehicle should have minor damage to the driver side. 

Const. G. Boucher is investigating this incident and is asking anyone that may have witnessed the incident or may have video footage of the occurrence that may assist in identifying the suspect or the suspect vehicle to please contact the Ottawa OPP at 613-270-9171 or Crimestoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS).