COURTNEY McCLURE Intern to The Standard
UXBRIDGE: Residents living in Uxbridge and Scugog are often lax when it comes to having a sense of security. On the night of April 17th, running into the early hours of the next morning, six vehicles owned by Uxbridge residents were broken into. There were no signs of forced entry into these vehicles. According to Constable Anil Maharaj, crimes like this are usually centered around one neighbourhood. The area of the thefts was in the general area of Uxbridge Secondary School and the Uxbridge Pool. Items reported stolen were wallets, a small amount of money and a few other belongings. He explained that many people take small items. It is unlikely someone will steal larger items from a vehicle. Although there were no accounts of forced entry, according to Maharaj, residents should still remember to lock their doors at all hours of the day. “These thefts were totally preventable, had the people locked their vehicles,” stated Maharaj. Many people who commit acts like this, explained Constable Maharaj, often go from driveway to driveway, pulling on door handles to see if the vehicle is unlocked. “One thing I try to pass along, to get people in the mindset, to lock their doors.” His advice to residents who think they need not lock their vehicle doors at night, is that times are changing. “Our communities are growing,” he said. “And it’s just the safest thing to do to protect themselves.” He continued to share that residents should, also, remove anything from their car that holds value. If residents see any suspicious activity happening around their own vehicle, or to another person’s, the constable asks they call the Durham Region Police department. According to him, many people who witness a crime debate about phoning the police until it is too late. His advice is to call right when they witness the crime. The police department will keep the caller’s name anonymous upon specification.