Catalytic thief caught red-handed

KINGSVILLE — On February 4, at 8:25 p.m., Ontario Provincial Police Kingsville officers received information about a suspicious person and vehicle in the area of Hillview Crescent.

Police were provided a description and direction of travel and patrolled the area. A suspicious vehicle was located on Division Street.

Officers followed foot prints in the snow and were able to locate a suspect in the area. Further investigation located tools and catalytic converters that had been removed from two vehicles.

A 36-year-old Kingsville man is charged with theft under $5000 (two counts) contrary to the Criminal Code of Canada and is scheduled to appear in Windsor Ontario Court of Justice on March 17, 2021.

Police are grateful to the citizen that assisted with this matter. OPP encourage the public to report suspicious activity and are offering the following suggestions to try and prevent this type of theft.

• If you have a garage at your house, park your car inside and keep the garage door shut.

• When possible, park in well-lit areas and close to building entrances.

• If your car has an alarm set it to activate when it detects vibration.

Anyone with information regarding this or any other incident is asked to call the OPP at 1-888-310-1122.

Should you wish to remain anonymous, call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS) or leave an anonymous online message at www.catchcrooks.com where you may be eligible to receive a cash reward of up to $2,000.