They’re daring and devious, and they appear to be on an expanding crime spree throughout Essex County.
Amherstburg police sent out a warning to residents Monday that they’ve seen a large spike in daytime break and enters. The thieves’ modus operandi — doing neighbourhood surveillance, breaking in during the day and stealing mainly jewelry — is similar to a series of heists Essex County OPP have been investigating.
Police are trying to confirm if the crime sprees are related.
“They basically case the neighbourhood,” said Const. Shawn McCurdy of Amherstburg police. “If somebody was actually watching, they’d probably see the car drive up and down the road, maybe park for a bit. They pretend they’re going to doors with pamphlets.”
Burglars with similar methods have targeted homeowners in Amherstburg, Lakeshore and Tecumseh.
Amherstburg police said the recent spike of burglaries in their jurisdiction seems to be focused on the Pointe West area and around Murray and Gore streets near downtown. McCurdy said police can’t definitively say if they’re all related.
“But based on the geographical areas, we know that some are linked,” he said.
Police said they believe the brazen burglars, likely a group of both men and women, are of eastern European descent. They work during the day.
They drive around the neighbourhoods in a newer model vehicle, scoping areas for houses to break into. They watch for people leaving home or going into the backyard. They also look for open garage doors or front doors.
If no one is home, the door is unlocked or the owner is the backyard, they will break in.
McCurdy said the crooks also carry pamphlets, pretending to hand them out, as a way to get close to homes and see if people are inside without anyone getting suspicious.
Essex County OPP issued a press release last week warning residents about a similar crime spree in Tecumseh and Lakeshore. Provincial police said serial burglars were staking out neighbourhoods and breaking into homes after victims left for the day.
In that string of break-ins, police said, the crooks always took jewelry, as well. The OPP said a witness saw a woman get into a four-door silver sedan after fleeing one of the homes. The woman appeared to be in her 40s and spoke with some kind of accent.
She’s about five-foot-six with a medium to heavy build and “reddish-brown” shoulder-length hair. She was seen wearing a long trench coat-style jacket.
“There’s a possibility that it’s related,” said McCurdy. “It’s definitely something we’re looking into. That’s why we’re just asking everybody to keep an eye out, report any suspicious activity to us.”
Amherstburg police are asking citizens to report any suspicious activity, regardless of how insignificant it may seem. That includes vehicles repeatedly driving up and down the street and vehicles parked on roads for extended periods with someone inside. Police are also asking residents to be on the lookout for people going door to door with pamphlets, and people walking up and down the street or standing in one place for long periods.
Anyone with information can call the Amherstburg Police Service at 519-736-3622 or Crime Stoppers at 519-258-8477.
twilhelm@windsorastar.com
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