During the early morning of January 3, four vehicles total were stolen from Russell Township, two from Embrun and two from Casselman.
One of the victims was tracking his vehicle with a GPS device he placed and relaying the information to the OPP allowed them to head the vehicle off with a tire deflation device. The stolen 2022 Dodge Ram Rebel was successfully recovered. Another one of the vehicles made it all the way into Quebec, where SQ officers were able to intercept it and take the perpetrator into custody.
As a result of the investigation, the OPP have charged four people with a variety of crimes.
Vanessa Duval, 27, from Montreal was charged with possession of stolen property over $5,000 and mischief under $5,000. Anthony Grenier, 19, from Montreal was charged with possession of stolen property over $5,000 and possession of an automobile master key. Finally, Keven Riffon, 24, and an unnamed minor both from Montreal were charged with possession of stolen property over $5,000, possession of an automobile master key, and two counts of failure to comply with a probation order.
In the face of this spree of auto thefts, the OPP is offering tips on how to keep your vehicles safe. These tips are simple things: always roll up the windows and lock the doors, keep the vehicle in a locked garage if possible, always park in a well-lit area, never leave valuable objects in plain sight, and never leave your vehicle unattended while it’s running.
Other recommendations include blocking high-value vehicles in your driveway with other vehicles, installing anti-theft and tracking devices in out-of-sight locations, and keeping your key fobs in a Faraday Box to prevent copying. Securing your parking area with brighter lighting and security cameras will also help.
By following these simple tips, the chance of becoming a victim of vehicle theft lowers considerably.
Anyone with information about this or another incident is asked to contact the Russell County OPP at 613-443-4499 or the OPP Communication Centre at 1-888-310-1122. Should you wish to remain anonymous, you may call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS), where you may be eligible to receive a cash reward of up to $2,000.
