New Brunswick community using heightened vigilance after string of thefts

The deputy mayor of the Village of Harvey, N.B. is asking residents to be vigilant following a rash of thefts in the village and surrounding areas.

“We’ve got to put up more cameras, we’ve got to have more alarm systems, we’ve got to be doing the things that makes it more difficult for a thief to get at our stuff,” Deputy Mayor Richard Corey said.

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "We've got to put up more cameras, we've got to have more alarm systems, we've got to be doing the things that makes it more difficult for a thief to get at our stuff," Deputy Mayor Richard Corey said.

Corey says everyone in the community should be locking their cars, taking keys out of their vehicles, installing good lighting on their properties and locking outdoor buildings.

On Sept. 8, the Village’s maintenance shed was broken into and more than $12,000 worth of equipment was stolen.

Village Manager Tom MacDonald says people broke into the shed at night and took their riding lawn mower, a chain saw, a generator, and many other items.  He says they had to rent a new mower to finish the season.

Corey says he believes the thieves know the community and could even be living among them, because of the nature of the crimes and the trails and areas where the thefts occurred.

A family also reportedly recently had the windows stolen from the home they’re renovating.

McAdam Detachment, West District RCMP Const. Grant Donovan says there were approximately seven thefts in one week in the region in September. Donovan was unable to provide any further details, but says several locks were cut on camps and properties in McAdam, Harvey and Oromocto Lake.

He says many of the break-ins and still under investigation.

MacDonald says he has friends in the New Market area who have also had thousands of dollars in equipment and insulation stolen. Global News reached out to the Keswick Ridge RCMP detachment which covers the New Market area, but did not hear back by the time of publication.