Shelburne council draws attention to rise in vehicle thefts

Written By Paula Brown

Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

As car thefts become an increasing concern locally, Shelburne Town Council is looking to provide answers on how residents can best protect themselves by holding an information session with the Dufferin OPP. 

During their meeting on Feb. 12, Shelburne Councillor Walter Benotto raised concerns about the number of car thefts occurring within the community. 

“I'd like to know from the Inspector at some point in time as to what actions the police are doing in the community,” said Benotto. 

In January of this year, Dufferin OPP reported the theft of a $41,000 RV and a 2021 black Dodge Ram TRX from a residence in Shelburne. The police also reported the theft of two vehicles in Mono and two in Orangeville that month. 

“It is a problem obviously and not to diminish the problem, but it isn't just a Shelburne problem, this sort of thing unfortunately is happening in small towns throughout Southern Ontario; for whatever reason the individuals doing this tend to be targeting smaller communities it seems,” said Mayor Wade Mills. “It's disconcerting the fact they're going right into driveways and in one case right into somebody's garage and stealing vehicles – that's pretty troubling.”  

Denyse Morrissey, Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) for the Town of Shelburne, recommended staff inquire about hosting an online information session with the Dufferin OPP to provide residents with proactive tips as well as raise questions about car theft in the area. 

“It could be half an hour of key information and a Q&A over what you can do. Maybe these are some of the situations that people can share and then provide guidance on how to avoid that happening,” said Morrissey. “I think that might go a long way as opposed to an in-person [meeting], making it more accessible anytime.” 

A date for the online information session has yet to be determined.