Grey County Ontario Provincial Police received a call from a member of the public who reported a suspicious vehicle that attended a rural residence. In this case, a suspicious vehicle attended a rural residential property and a person from the vehicle asked for directions, they stayed for a few minutes then left. The owner of the property then left their residence a short time later, for the day. When they returned they discovered that they had been broken into and property had been stolen.

Past police investigations have had similar method of operation by suspect(s). Properties that have been broken into have had, prior to the offence, unknown visitor claiming to be a service person, sales person or looking for directions to an address. They spend a short time on the property, "casing" the residence and outbuildings and then return at a later time or date and execute their crime. This method is used in both, town and country residential settings.

Police would like to remind the public if you are visited by an unknown person to RECORD your observations:

- Record Person(s) Description (approximate height, build, hair style and length, clothing and any other outstanding marks or characteristics)-

- Record Content of the Conversation (Why did they attend your property?)

- Record Vehicle Description (make, model, attached licence plate and any other features or attached signage)

When your observations are recorded, then REPORT the occurrence to police. The information you provide could be the puzzle or key to a current or future investigation.

source: media release, Grey County OPP