CHARLOTTETOWN, P.E.I. - Charlottetown Police Services received about a dozen calls Tuesday after a slew of vehicles were broken into Monday night.
Sgt. Allan Kelly said the break-ins weren’t isolated to one area, adding there were several incidents reported in West Royalty as well as along Upper Prince Street.
Kelly couldn’t say if the incidents were related, but the department is investigating.
It is not uncommon for these types of break-ins to occur this time of year, he said.
“When the summertime comes you have the nicer weather and people are on the go,” he said. “In late night, we have our criminals on the go and that’s one of the things that they will target is open vehicles.”
The public is advised not to leave change in their vehicle’s console or valuables in plain view, and to keep their doors locked.
“If (criminals) come across a car and it’s locked and they don’t see anything, they’re probably going to move on,” Kelly said, adding if they do see something of value, they might break a window to get in.
While he didn’t have overall numbers of vehicle break-ins that have occurred this summer, Kelly said sometimes the department will go a few nights without an incident.
“But then you might run into a few nights in a row when you have more than you want.”
He also said not all incidents occur at night.
“We’ve had incidents where people are out shopping and leave stuff in their car,” he said. “Unfortunately, someone who’s got sticky fingers goes by the car and sees it there and decides, ‘Hey, I like that’ and they open up the car door and they’ll take it.”
Along with vehicles, Kelly said the department has received calls about a few sheds being broken into where tools were taken. He said residents with a shed in a dark part of their yard might want to consider adding some lights.
To report a crime, contact police at 902-629-4172 or P.E.I. Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).
