The rash of car thefts in North Bay over the last couple of months has city police scratching their heads. Police investigated 15 mischief complaints and 14 thefts under $5,000 in January. Deputy Police Chief Scott Tod says they aren’t sure right now what the cause is behind the thefts, but they are working with community groups to figure it out. Tod suspects the numbers might have increased in February, but police don’t have the official numbers yet.
Police believe the crimes are being committed by youth or younger members of the community so they can buy drugs. Tod says it’s a trend that isn’t isolated to one area, police have gotten reports from many parts of the city and outside the city as well. Tod says police dont know whether drug use is on the rise, or if young people are having a hard time finding a job but those issues might something to do with it. He also added this isn’t just a police issue.
Tod says the items stolen in these thefts don’t have much value and wouldn’t fetch much if they were brought to a pawn shop. He says there’s a few ways for people to avoid having their cars broken into. Tod says always make sure to lock your car doors and don’t leave any valuables in your car overnight. He also added that if people see anything suspicious to report it to police.
