OTTAWA -- Ottawa Police are reminding the public to protect their property during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Staff Sgt. Stephanie Burns says the Ottawa Police Robbery Unit has seen a “70 per cent increase in break and enters in the past month.”
“We are reminding the community to take every step possible to protect their property."
Ottawa Police released the statistics while announcing an arrest was made in connection to a break and enter at an apartment building on Lavergne Street Thursday morning.
Police say “a man was seen breaking into the laundry room of an apartment building and leaving the area carrying something.” The suspect was arrested nearby.
On Thursday, police announced an arrest in connection to four break and enters at three parking garages, residential and commercial properties in Centretown and the Glebe. The investigation looked into the break and enters since the beginning of April.
The Ottawa Police crime map shows several break and enters, vehicle break-ins and property crimes reported across the capital between April 1 and April 10.
Burns is urging people to be vigilant about “strangers coming into your building, locking your car, your garage and shed, and hiding your valuables.”
On Thursday, Ottawa Police issued a message on Twitter about receiving a number of complaints of car windows being smashed by thieves to get in.
When asked by CTVNewsOttawa.ca how many reports of windows being smashed had police received, a police spokesperson said they didn’t have solid data but “we had enough to make it worth mentioning to the community.”
