Fresh snow may have thwarted a suspected car hopper early Thursday morning.
Thunder Bay Police Service officers with the Uniform Patrol Branch arrested a male suspect in the early morning hours of Thursday, Nov. 21 after following a suspect’s footprints in the fresh snow.
Officers were originally dispatched to the 1300 block area of Forest Street following reports of a suspicious male checking car doors in the neighbourhood just before 3:30 a.m.
When police arrived they located the suspect’s footprints in the snow and followed them to a single-vehicle garage located in the backyard of a nearby residence.
During the arrest the suspect provided officers with a name that further investigation revealed to be false. The suspect’s actual identity was later confirmed.
A 24-year-old Thunder Bay man is charged with Trespassing, Obstruct Peace Officers, and Breach Probation x 2. He is scheduled to appear in bail court Thursday morning.
Car hopping is a term describing the act of stealing items from multiple vehicles in the same area. Would-be thieves typically go from car to car checking if doors are locked. When a door is unlocked the vehicle is entered and searched for valuables.
This is a crime of opportunity, and the Thunder Bay Police Service would like to remind the public that locking their vehicle doors and keeping valuables out of sight is their strongest defence. Keeping valuables out of their unoccupied vehicles at all times is the best option.
If you observe suspicious activity, please call police. If you have been the victim of car hopping, consider making a report via the Thunder Bay Police Service’s online reporting tool: https://thunderbaypolice.ca/key-services/services/online-reporting.
The Thunder Bay Police Service would also like to take a moment to remind motorists to drive with extreme caution during adverse weather. Give yourself extra time to reach your destination, drive slowly and leave extra room between yourself and other vehicles on the roadway.
Also make sure your vehicle has been cleared of all snow – including licence plates, headlights, taillights, and rooftops – before driving.