Some tips on preventing break and enters

• Dec. 11, 2017 between 1:20 p.m. and 3:00 p.m person's unknown forced their way into a locked home removing coins, jewlery and tools from a Tiny Township Concession 13 West home.
• December 14, 2017 at 4:30 p.m. a home owner on Tripp Lane in Tiny Township reported that person's unknown entered his locked seasonal home and removed cash.
• Dec. 01-14, 2017 an Addison Lane Tiny Township seasonal home owner reported a forcible entry to his garage and the loss of a chainsaw and other small tools.

 As a result of these ongoing investigations the OPP wish to provide some tips and helpful advice for the detection and prevention of residential break and enters.

Each year, OPP officers investigate numerous reports of break and enter to area homes and are often successful in the apprehension of the offenders responsible. Much of this success is dependent on the eyes and ears of area residents and here are some tips that can assist community involvement in the detection, prevention and conviction of offenders:

Detection:

• Keep your eyes and ears open for suspicious vehicles and persons in the area of your residence. Do not confront possible suspects.
• Record the licence numbers and description of suspicious vehicles.
• Record detailed descriptions of occupants of suspicious vehicles.
• Report your concerns and observations immediately to the Ontario Provincial Police Communications Centre at 1-888-310-1122. Provide your municipal address and your "911" number.
• Make "would-be" thieves visible, install motion lights or leave an exterior light on to illuminate entrance ways and rear yards.
• Don't hide keys in secret places. Instead leave a duplicate with a friend or neighbour.

Prevention:

• Lock your doors and secure any open windows prior to retiring for the evening.
• Borrow an engraver from your local OPP Detachment to engrave your valuable belongings. This may discourage theft of valuables and will provide an easy way to identify stolen property.
• Use a personal identification mark such as your driver's licence number when engraving your property.
• For deterrent purposes, the identification marks should be easily identifiable.
• Record the contents of your home or cottage on paper or using a video camera.
• Record the serial numbers of your property.
• Remove expensive articles from your secondary home or cottage when away for extended periods of time.
• Don't leave articles out, such as axes and tools that could be used to assist in breaking into your residence.
• Establish relationships with neighbours and check on each other's property when away.
• Lock and secure your property and outside belongings.
• Invest in an alarm system. 
• If you are away, make sure that your residence looks like it is occupied. Have the sidewalks shovelled, the mail collected, and the grass cut. Make use timers to have lights coming on and going off at different intervals.
• Avoid posting on social media sites when you are away from your residence.

If you discover a break and enter, please contact the OPP immediately at 1-888-310-1122. Do not enter your property as valuable evidence may be disturbed. 

For more information on the prevention of residential break and enters, please contact the Southern Georgian Bay Detachment of the Ontario Provincial Police at 705-526-3761 or view the following link for informative "tip sheets".

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Should you observe or hear of a break and entry in your area police are asking anyone with information to contact the OPP at (705) 526-3761 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477). You can submit your information online at www.crimestopperssdm.com or if you have any information on this crime or any other crime. Crime Stoppers does not subscribe to call display and you will remain anonymous. Being anonymous, you will not testify in court and your information may lead to a cash reward of up to $2,000.00.

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