Crime Stoppers of Halton

January is Crime Stoppers month and we want to thank all our volunteers and Halton residents for their continued support!

Methamphetamine and Synthetic Drug Labs - Halton Police Awareness Campaign The Halton Regional Police Service (HRPS) is just one of the many Canadian police services working with the Canadian Integrated Response to Organized Crime (CIROC), that are collaborating to educate, protect and inform the public about the negative impacts of methamphetamine and other synthetic drugs. Methamphetamine is pervasive in all of our communities and has contributed to crimes of violence and p...roperty crimes. The numbers of methamphetamine seizures in Canada has continued to increase since 2010 and poses a threat to the safety and well-being of our communities. In the coming weeks, our Service will be sharing information to help educate the public and community agencies. These resources as well as additional information can be found by visiting: HRPS website (specifically this webpage) HRPS primary Twitter account Methamphetamine and synthetic drug labs can be found anywhere. Indicators of a lab may include: suspicious activity, secretive behavior and individuals who may avoid neighbour interactions occupants attend for short time periods and at odd hours chemical odours garbage contains numerous chemical containers, glassware, bags full of soil or garbage are never put out location has excessive security evidence of chemical dumping grounds on or near premises (burn pits or dead spots on lawn) windows covered odd items being brought inside the location equipment, glassware, chemical drums, etc. The Halton Regional Police Service encourages members of our community to share the messages and information in order to help educate other members within your community of the potential indicators of methamphetamine and synthetic drug labs as well as the dangers methamphetamine and synthetic drug production poses within our communities. If you see indicators of a methamphetamine or synthetic drug lab, remain at a safe distance, do not approach suspects and call police at 905-925-4777 immediately, or call 9-1-1 if an emergency. If you wish to remain anonymous, call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS).

Get involved with your local Crime Stoppers charity and help maintain the safety of your community by volunteering, donating or submitting your tips anonymously. https://www.canadahelps.org//charities/crime-stoppers-of-/

January is Crime Stoppers Month and thanks to our friends at Niagara Crime Stoppers, they will be illuminating the falls in blue and white lights from 10-10:15pm on Tuesday, January 5, 2021. Watch the live feed here! https://www.webcamtaxi.com//niagara-horseshoe-falls-cam.ht

From all of us at Crime Stoppers, thank you Halton for your support and Happy New Year. If you would like to get involved with us in 2021, you can Donate, Volunteer, or Submit Tips at www.haltoncrimestoppers.ca.

Thank you to everyone who sacrificed for our country.

Police Warn of Scam Involving Taxi's The Halton Regional Police Service (HRPS) would like to warn citizens of a scam that has been occurring across the Region of Halton. The scam typically involves two suspects one acting as taxi driver and the other acting as a customer. The suspects will engage in a loud, verbal argument, where the taxi driver refuses to accept cash from the customer for the fare (often citing COVID-19 as the reason). The customer will then prey on uns...uspecting individuals nearby, asking them to use their debit card to pay the fare in exchange for cash (which is given to the victim at the time). The intent is to draw the victim to the taxi, where the driver presents a point of sale machine to the victim. The debit card is swiped/inserted into the machine and the PIN number covertly obtained by the suspect. The victim is then distracted by the original customer (suspect) at which point in time the driver switches the debit card, retaining the victims and giving them a different one back. The debit card is then immediately used by the suspects to withdrawal money or make purchases. This scam has been occurring across the province and eight such incidents have been reported in the Region of Halton since late October, 2020 (five incidents in Oakville and three in Burlington). The HRPS would like to remind the public of the following tips: Taxi's DO and WILL accept cash Never give your debit/credit card to someone else When making a purchase, always remember to cover your PIN when entering it Be mindful of the point of sale machine when making a purchase and if you suspect it has been tampered with, choose another payment method If you believe you are the victim of a scam, contact police immediately Anyone with information in regards to these incidents is asked to contact Detective Constable Mike Tidball of the Halton Regional Police Service Fraud Unit at 905-825-747 ext. 8743. Tips can also be submitted anonymously to Crime Stoppers "See Something? Hear Something? Know Something? Contact Crime Stoppers" at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS) or through the web at www.haltoncrimestoppers.ca.

If you have any information and wish to stay anonymous, call 1-800-222-TIPS (8477)

Theft of Poppy Donation Box in Oakville On Monday, November 9, 2020, at approximately 1:00 pm, an male entered a Tim Horton's in the area of Trafalgar Road and Postridge Drive in Oakville. As staff was engaging with customers, the suspect reached around the counter and stole the Royal Canadian Legion poppy donatin box. He promptly exited the store and left the area on foot.... The suspect is described as male, wearing a red toque, camouflaged pants, a black hoodie with a white symbol on the front and back, and black shoes. He had a black and white handkerchief covering his face and was carrying a black "gym style" bag (see attached photos). Anyone with information in regards to this incident is asked to contact Acting Detective Sergeant Ron Wright of the Oakville Criminal Investigations Bureau at 905-825-4747 ext. 2284 Tips can also be submitted anonymously to Crime Stoppers "See Something? Hear Something? Know Something? Contact Crime Stoppers" at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS) or through the web at www.haltoncrimestoppers.ca.

Thieves Targeting Vehicles in Oakville The Halton Regional Police Service (HRPS) is investigating a number of recent personal vehicle thefts in the Town of Oakville. Car thieves are targeting particular makes and models. They range from 2017 2020 Lexus vehicles included models RX350 and GX460, Toyota Highlander and Land Rover Ranger Rover model. The targeted vehicles were removed from residential driveways between the hours of 11:00 pm and 5:00 am.... Similar thefts are occurring throughout the GTA. These vehicles are in high demand overseas and often shipped to North Africa, Asia and Europe. These vehicles typically have no tracking capability from the manufacturer or dealership, making recovery difficult once the vehicle is stolen. The majority of the thefts are committed utilizing a signal relay device. It appears that the technology used may be accessing the signal transmitted by the vehicle's key fobs. Once inside the vehicle, the suspects are able to start the vehicle and drive away within minutes of their arrival at the residence. A review of available security video shows suspects approaching the residences on foot, and then utilizing a device to defeat the vehicles' security systems. We are encouraging you to implement the following vehicle theft prevention tips: Park your vehicle within a locked/secure garage as the majority of the vehicles are stolen from residential driveways If a garage is not accessible, park another vehicle behind it in the driveway to act as a physical barrier to its removal Lock the data port using a simple device that can be purchased online and blocks access to the computer port where thieves gain access to reprogram the vehicle's keys Invest in an aftermarket global positioning system tracker or have one installed by the dealer, as it may assist in recovery of the vehicle if it is stolen Ensure your unattended vehicle(s) are locked and secure Never leave spare keys in your vehicle Never leave spare keys outside of your residence When not in use, place vehicle keys inside a radio frequency shielding bag/pouch to block cell signals Equip your vehicle with an alarm Use other devices to deter thefts (e.g. steering wheel locking device) Consider purchasing a quality video surveillance system and ensure your cameras are properly placed and functioning for 24-hour use Community safety is a shared responsibility. Help keep communities safe and immediately report any suspicious activity. Tips can also be submitted anonymously to Crime Stoppers. "See something? Hear something? Know something? Contact Crime Stoppers" at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS) or through the web at www.haltoncrimestoppers.ca.

Our friends at Halton Police would like to remind us that old cell phones are not good toys! Halton Police: A cellular phone that is no longer connected to a service provider can still make outgoing emergency calls to 911. This is a safety feature that is well intended and can save lives, however it can also needlessly exhaust emergency service resources when old phones are put into the wrong hands. The HRPS 911 call centre receives hundreds of calls each year from phones gi...ven to young children as toys. These calls tie up resources including the communication members who take the calls and responding officers. If the 911 operator is unable to confirm the call was made in error or by a child playing with a phone, the police must be dispatched. There are also circumstances that may involve fire and EMS being dispatched as well. A recent call to our 911 centre involved a young child using an old cellular phone as a toy. Operators kept the child on the line for more than 90 minutes while officers knocked on over 50 doors looking for the child to ensure their safety. It was determined that the same child had also called 911 from the same phone the previous night, again tying up lines and utilizing unnecessary resources. As much as we love talking to our youngest citizens, cellular phones (old or new) are not toys. These calls could have serious consequences for those who truly require assistance.

Halton Police Remind the Burlington Community to Lock it or Lose it... Halton Police would like to remind vehicle owners to keep their vehicles locked due to a recent increase in overnight thefts in the City of Burlington. Over the past few weeks, a significant rise in theft incidents from vehicles has been reported to police. The reported incidents have occurred during the overnight hours and involve thieves entering unlocked vehicles to steal loose change and other valuable...s from inside. The latest rash of incidents has occurred across the City, but thieves have been primarily targeting Burlington's south end, south of the Q.E.W. As police continue to investigate these crimes, we would like to remind and are urging Burlington residents to remain vigilant by keeping watch for suspicious vehicles and or persons in their neighbourhoods and to report it immediately to police. Police are reminding the public of the following prevention tips: -Ensure your unattended vehicle(s) are kept locked/secure -Never leave personal identification or valuables in your vehicle -Park in well-lit and attended areas whenever possible -Never leave spare keys in your vehicle -If you have to leave valuables in your vehicle, lock them in your trunk. Don't tempt thieves by leaving packages or purses in plain view or on the seat. -Remove garage door openers, G.P.S. navigation, cell phone devices and power cords from your vehicle if possible or at the least, removed from view -Consider installing C.C.T.V. / Surveillance cameras which can capture the crime and aid in suspect identification -Ensure residences and garages are locked when absent from the home or turning in for the night REPORT SUSPICIOUS ACTIVITY TO POLICE IMMEDIATELY Anyone with information related to these incidents is asked to contact the 3 District Criminal Investigations Bureau at 905 825-4747 ext. 2316. Tips can also be submitted anonymously to Crime Stoppers. "See something? Hear something? Know something? Contact Crime Stoppers" at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS) or through the web at www.haltoncrimestoppers.ca.