(NORTHUMBERLAND, ON) –On January 4, 2018 the Northumberland Detachment of the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) entered into five separate investigations related to stolen and/or recovered vehicles within the county.
On two of those occasions the owners advised police that they had left their vehicles running in their driveways ‘warming up’ with the keys in the ignition. Another owner told officers that he believed that there was a set of keys in his unlocked car which was stolen from the driveway sometime overnight.
(NORTHUMBERLAND, ON) On February 3, 2018 members of Northumberland OPP responded to a report of a stolen 2017 GMC Canyon from a Mastwoods Road address in the Municipality of Port Hope. The owner advised police that an unknown vehicle was left in its place, a 2005 Chev Impala later determined to have been stolen from a Cobourg address earlier in the day. Officers located the stolen GMC travelling on the 4th Line near Island View Road in Roseneath. The truck was abandoned in a gravel pit after police attempted to stop it. The driver fled on foot into a wooded area and was arrested after a brief foot chase.
William Grant COOPER age 44 of Port Hope, Ontario is charged with the following offences incurred this date:
– Flight while Pursued by Peace Officer
– Theft Over $5,000 of a Motor Vehicle (two counts)
– Fail to Comply with Recognizance
– Possession of Property Obtained by Crime Over $5,000
– Possession of Weapon for Dangerous Purpose
– Dangerous Operation of a Motor Vehicle
– Possession of Property Obtained by Crime Under $5,000
– Possession of a Schedule 1 Substance – Methamphetamine
Further investigation led by members of the OPP Organized Crime Enforcement Bureau – Peterborough/Northumberland Community Street Crime Unit in co-operation with Cobourg Police Service and Port Hope Police Service resulted in the following charges being laid in relation to offences dating back to January 4, 2018:
– Theft Over $5,000 of a Motor Vehicle (five counts)
– Possession of Property Obtained by Crime Over $5,000 (five counts)
– Theft Under $5,000 of a Motor Vehicle (six counts)
– Possession of Property Obtained by Crime Under $5,000 (six counts)
COOPER has been held in custody since his arrest and is scheduled for a bail hearing at the Ontario Court of Justice in Cobourg today February 12, 2018.
Northumberland OPP would like to remind the public that an unlocked car is an open invitation to thieves to steal the valuables you have left inside. An unlocked car with the keys available can lead to far more serious consequences. It can lead to the thief stealing the car and committing other criminal acts knowing that the car is not registered to them or worse; cause dangerous driving manoeuvres when approached by police.
Please do not leave unattended vehicles running as this crime of opportunity can lead to devastating consequences when driven by a desperate criminal.
Author: Pete Fisher
Has been a photojournalist for over 30-years and have been honoured to win numerous awards for photography and writing over the years. Best selling author for the book Highway of Heroes - True Patriot Love
