LONDON – Thieves have been doing Break and Enters and stealing from people who are attending funerals in the southern Ontario region near London Ontario. The OPP have arrested a number of people recently for these despicable crimes.
Likely from postings on social media, thieves are gathering intelligence on people being away from their homes. With the holiday season coming, many people post their vacation plans or the new major electronics or appliances they have received on their social media.
One suggestion would be locking down the privacy of your social media accounts to restrict who sees your posts. Coming home from a holiday to see your home and belongings the target of criminals is not a solid end to a holiday.
Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) is warning residents of the sudden increase in break and enters during funeral ceremonies. The OPP is urging the public to be cautious when posting funeral arrangements online and in local newspapers; specifically, that any address information is not shared via Canada411 or other online directories.
Police are urging the public of this emerging trend that has been observed and is encouraging community members to choose alternative methods to share funeral specifics.
The OPP is also recommending that if you plan on being away from your residence for an extended period of time; to share absence details with a trusted neighbour or family member. Any suspicious activity should be reported to the police immediately.
Police are actively investigating these crimes. Anyone with information regarding any investigation is encouraged to contact the local police or the OPP at 1-888-310-1122.
Should you wish to remain anonymous, you may call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS)
