Police are asking local resident to ensure vehicles are not left unlocked, after a rash of recent thefts in the region.
On Sept. 29 at about 9:13am Wellington County OPP officers received a call about a silver 2007 Dodge 3500 pick-up truck that was stolen from a private driveway on Regency Drive in Minto, near Drew. Police say the truck, bearing a Florida marker, had the keys left in the ignition.
OPP officials say the theft is the 69th vehicle theft in three area counties over the last six months. In at least half of those incidents, the theft occurred while the keys to the vehicle were either inside the vehicle or in the ignition.
“These crimes are preventable and often result in the suspects engaging in other criminal activity with the stolen vehicle,” police stated in a press release.
The message is quite simple, police say: lock it or lose it. The OPP encourages all vehicle owners to ensure all valuables are removed from their vehicles, the vehicles are locked and the keys secured in a safe location away from the vehicle.
