Portable heater, vacuum stolen from business
Chatham-Kent police are investigating after someone broke into a business on Queens Line in Chatham over the weekend and took off with a pair of appliances.
Police said a portable heater and a vacuum were both stolen from the business sometime during the evening of Saturday, March 9. The stolen goods have an estimated combined value of $20.
Anyone with information is asked to contact Constable Kyle Bakker at kyleba@chatham-kent.ca or 519-436-6600 ext. 87320.
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Break-in at a second Chatham business
Police are also trying to track down some leads in connection with a second break-in that also took place Saturday night.
Officers said this time, a business on Richmond Street was targeted and a large amount of personal property was stolen.
Investigators said the owner is still determining the number of items that were taken, but the estimated value of the theft is $8,000.
Anyone with information is asked to contact Constable Jessica Butler at jessicab@chatham-kent.ca or 519-436-6600 ext. 87333. If you have information on either of the above-listed break-ins, you can also contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477) and may be eligible for a cash reward.
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Protecting your home from break-ins
Chatham-Kent police are offering the following safety tips to local residents to help make sure their homes don't look like appealing targets for criminals -- especially if you are leaving your home unattended overnight or longer:
- Keep a 'lived-in' look while you are away. Have your mail picked up and arrangements made to have snow removed from your driveway should winter weather affect the area
- Use automatic timers to turn lights on and off in various parts of the house at night.
- Keep valuables out of sight and secure them in a safety deposit box.
- Before walking out of the house, do one last check of all your windows and doors to ensure they are all closed and locked.
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Don't be a victim of fraud
Chatham-Kent Crime Stoppers officials are warning the public about scam Canada Revenue phone calls that are making the rounds again.
According to a release from Crime Stoppers, the callers often use threatening language or try to convince you that police are on the way to your home in an effort to intimidate you into complying with their demands.
Officials said any calls from the Canada Revenue Agency or any other group demanding money should be viewed as suspicious, adding that payments to legitimate government organizations or businesses are never made in the form of cash money transfers, prepaid visa cards or iTunes cards.
If you receive a call that fits the description above, you should hang up immediately and if you have any concerns, you should contact police or Crime Stoppers.