OTTAWA – The Ottawa Police Service (OPS) would like to remind the public, with spring just around the corner, so is the risk of theft from vehicles. Residents are reminded to remove anything of value from their vehicle.
“Thieves typically look for an unlocked vehicle, and once they gain entry, they go through the entire car, including the trunk,” said Const. Stephanie Lemieux, Centretown Community Police Officer. “It isn’t enough to hide items in the console or under the car seats because the thieves are just that thorough.”
In the event you notice someone acting suspicious around parked vehicles or if you see someone trying car doors – please call police and report it.”Even if your car is broken into and nothing is taken, it still needs to be reported to police,” added Const. Lemieux.
Find out more on how to reduce the risk of being the victim of a theft from vehicle with our Safety and Crime Prevention Programs on our website at ottawapolice.ca, or contact your local community police officer for more information. Download an AVR (All Valuables Removed) card to display in your parked vehicle.
The cards are displayed by vehicle owners on the inside of the driver’s side window to display the message, “All Valuables Removed” – letting would-be-thieves know not to bother searching the vehicle and alerting others to take the same precautions.
Anyone with information regarding a theft from a vehicle or any other crime is asked to call the Police Reporting Unit at 613-236-1222, extension 7300.
Anonymous tips can be submitted by calling Crime Stoppers, toll-free at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS) or by downloading the Ottawa Police app.