Current Crime Concerns

DEC 2019-JAN 2020 Reports of Break and Enters + Car Theft

Multiple break-ins and attempted break-ins have been reported in our area in the last 2 months, as well a car was stolen from a residents driveway. For the break and enters, the point of entry seems to be from the back of the homes (breaking doors or basement windows to gain entry), and the time of day varies from mid afternoon to the middle of the night. More details on the specific cases can be found on our Facebook and Twitter pages.

Please report any suspicious activity and stay vigilant. The Ottawa police have recently provide the CHNA with tips on how to best prevent break ins and car thefts as well as some tips for Seniors Safety (see below).

Prevent Break and Enters
Break and Enter is the offence committed when any person unlawfully enters any place with the intent of committing a criminal offence therein. There is no set time that a break-in is more likely to occur. There are suspects who only commit break-ins at night, while others operate during the day. Break-in suspects do not normally want to be seen or detected. They will usually break into a home that appears to be unoccupied.

If you are going away for any length of time, ensure you have a trusted person looking after your home to give appearance of occupancy.

Here are some tips to make your home appear occupied:

Don't post on social media that you are going away. Also, avoid posting those amazing vacation photos until you have returned home.
Have someone shovel the driveway and collect the mail
Take out the garbage
Set some lights on timers (set the timer to random, if possible)
If you've purchased valuables items like electronics, cut up the boxes so as not to advertise that you have these expensive items. This is especially something to keep in mind around the holiday season.

Protect your vehicle from theft
Ottawa Police continue to be concerned with the risk of thefts of high-end Lexus/Toyota vehicles in Ottawa, particularly larger SUVs and 4Runners including the Tacoma.
We remind car owners of the following tips to protect their vehicle:

Make your vehicle less vulnerable to theft by parking it in a locked garage and or blocking it in tightly with a second vehicle.
Consider installing an after marker anti-theft device.
Be vigilant that no one has tampered with the door locks mechanisms.
Consider installing a club.
If you are selling your vehicle, be wary not to let anyone have access to your car keys or your vehicle out of your sight. This prevents a thief from copying your key during a “test drive” so they can return to steal it.
The onus is on the registered owner of a vehicle to ensure that the person they let drive their vehicle has a valid driver’s license. As such, request to see their driver’s license prior to allowing them to test drive your vehicle. This gives you an opportunity to note the person’s identity and home address.
Further to that, note the license plate and vehicle description of any individuals who attend your home to enquire about a car for sale.
Finally, good old fashioned neighbourhood watch is a great deterrent. Call 911 to report any suspicious activity; be vigilant.

Although we have not seen the use of signal amplifiers in Ottawa, we recommend a line of defense. Consider keeping any vehicle with a proximity key fob inside a radio frequency shield device (RSF device). This will prevent the key fob’s signal from being amplified to the vehicle from inside the house protecting it from being driven away.

Safety for Seniors
The Ottawa Police works closely with members of Ottawa to ensure security and safety. In particular, seniors have expressed concerns about being prepared or knowing what to do in certain situations. The following information provides a good start for raising awareness about crime prevention issues specific to seniors.
Would you know what to do if…

You were asked to pay for something that you "won"?
A suspicious stranger came to your door?
You arrived home and found your door or window open?
A member of your own family or a caregiver left you feeling threatened?
Incidents of vandalism or graffiti were on the rise in your neighbourhood?
A so-called bank official asked for your credit card information over the phone?

Stay safe - be alert

Be street smart - be aware of your surroundings and know who's around you. Be wary of isolated spots, like basements, laundry rooms and parking lots. Always try to walk in well-lit areas and try to never walk alone. Ask a family member or a neighbour to escort you.
Know what constitutes elder abuse. Whether it is physical, sexual, financial or mental abuse or neglect, these actions are crimes and help is available to you.
Make sure your home is not an easy target for criminals. Take advantage of Ottawa Police's Home Security Inspection Program where, at your request, police representatives will visit your home (house, condo, apartment, etc.) to provide a free safety audit - assessing ways to make your home safer.
Follow these safety tips when it comes to door-to-door sales.
Get involved in Neighbourhood Watch - it's one of the best ways to meet your neighbours and make your community safer.
If you come home and see a door ajar or a window broken, call the police immediately. NEVER enter the dwelling.
Above all, trust your gut feeling. If your instincts tell you that another person's actions are threatening or an environment is unsafe, then leave or call for help immediately. If you feel uncomfortable or uneasy, remove yourself!

Your money: When it comes to your money, be particularly alert. Crimes like fraud are on the increase in our city, and it's up to all of us to be on the lookout for criminals and scams. For your protection:

Arrange for direct deposit of any cheques you may regularly receive by mail.
Never provide personal information like bank account or credit card numbers over the phone.
Give only to charities you know.
Never rush into something involving your money or property. Always check out offers with friends and family first.
Be wary of something for nothing or get rich quick schemes. Never turn over large sums of money to anybody, especially a stranger, no matter how promising the deal looks.
If pressured by a salesperson, refuse to be bullied and say no thanks - walk away, close the door, hang up the phone, etc. - it's your right.
Do not hesitate to check the credentials of a salesperson or public official.
Always get a second estimate.
Know that your signature is negotiable - only sign contracts or cheques after you're certain it's for a legitimate reason. If in doubt, check with a friend, lawyer, accountant or the police.
Report all suspicious offers or activities to the police immediately.
Avoid joint bank accounts and joint ownership of any property
Protect your banking information
Choose your Power of Attorney (POA) wisely and be aware that you can change your Power of Attorney at any time
Be aware that the moment your Continuing Power of Attorney for Property document is signed and witnessed by two people, the person being given POA status has immediate control over all of your assets, bank accounts and property. Adding a triggering clause to the “Conditions and Restrictions” area of your POA document will limit this access and ensure that it is used only at a time that YOU choose is right for you (for instance when, where, by whom and under what circumstances should the POA document be used/invoked)
Consider a joint Power of Attorney (naming two people to share the responsibility). This minimizes the temptation and increases accountability at the same time

Avoid Break and Enters

With the arrival of warmer weather, the Ottawa Police Service Break & Enter Unit is anticipating an increase in the number of break & enters to insecure sheds and garages across the City. It takes moments to enter a garage or shed and make off with commonly stored items within, such as powered yard equipment and bikes.

Residents are reminded that the best deterrent to avoid this situation is to ensure your sheds and garages are properly secured. Garage doors should be left closed when left unattended for a period of time. An insecure garage door can also facilitate entry to the residence. Visit the Ottawa Police website for more tips.

In the event of a break & enter, investigators are greatly assisted when important information about property is properly recorded. Police will ask about the availability of make, model & serial numbers of stolen property, and/or unique identifiers where relevant.

Additionally, photographs of unique items or items again with unique identifiers, such as higher end bikes, assists investigators and increases the potential of the successful recovery of the stolen property. With the advent of social media, images of unique stolen property can also be quickly disseminated by the police to a significant number of people in the community.

Anyone with information regarding a break & enter is asked to call the Ottawa Police's Break & Enter Unit at 613-236-1222, ext. 4533. Anonymous tips can be submitted by calling Crime Stoppers toll-free at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS), or by downloading the Ottawa Police app.

Community Safety -Vibe CLOSED March 31, 2017

The controversial Vibe Lounge closed on March 31, 2017.

Police Strategic Initiative Open House - Jan 25, 2017

The Ottawa Police are changing the way they deliver services. Please consider attending an Open House on Jan 25 to learn how we will be affected:
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The Ottawa Police Service Delivery Initiative will change the way OPS deliver their services. A number of Community Police Officer roles will be removed. We believe we will not lose our Community Police Officer, Officer Neilly, but have learned her territory will be hugely expanded and CHNA has serious concerns that this will prove untenable.

Please consider consider registering and attending one of the Open Houses that the OPS is holding to explain the changes. A more central session was recently added on January 25.

When: Wednesday, January 25, 2017 7-8:30 pm
Where: City Hall – Andrew S. Haydon Hall – Council Chambers - 110 Laurier Avenue W, K1P 1J1

Spaces are limited (100 spots per session) so residents are asked to register online<https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/C9VK6LH>, as soon as possible.

Community Safety Meeting - re: Incidents at Bayswater/Somerset- Dec 13, 2016

Community Safety Meeting - re: Incidents at Bayswater/Somerset- Nov 10, 2016

Close to 100 people came out on November 10th to talk about Bayswater/Somerset safety in light of the recent violent incidents in the area. The meeting was co-sponsored by Councillor Jeff Leiper and the Hintonburg Community Association, and our community police officer, Cst. Dawn Neilly was also in attendance to hear from the community.

Attendees shared their concerns as well as some incidents that had not yet been reported to the police. A great deal of discussion centered around the "Vibe Lounge", and a desire by residents to have the police focus their attention on this establishment. The police and Councillor Leiper will be following up on all leads provided and we will be supporting them in their efforts to nip this in the bud and to keep our community safe.

CRIME ALERT - THEFTS FROM VEHICLES - November 10, 2016

The Ottawa Police have issued the following CRIME ALERT, warning that they are seeing a significant increase in THEFTS FROM VEHICLES in the following areas: Civic Hospital, Island Park South, Fisher Park, and Hampton Park.

Please review the attached Police Notice and do what you can to prevent your car from being targeted.