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Vehicles ransacked, windows smashed during Jack and Jill event in City of Kawartha Lakes

Pete De Vos discovered the windows smashed to his vehicle and items stolen outside the Oakwood Community Centre on Saturday night. Courtesy Pete De Vos

Pete De Vos calls it a “brazen” act after his vehicle and others were found with their windows smashed and items stolen during a Jack and Jill event in the City of Kawartha Lakes on Saturday night.

De Vos and dozens more were at the event at the Oakwood Community Centre, about 12 kilometres west of Lindsay.

He arrived around 10 p.m. but about half an hour later he and other drivers discovered their vehicles’ windows smashed and items swiped.

De Vos, a retired OPP officer, estimates he had about $4,000 in damage and losses from his 2006 Dodge Caravan.

Most notably was a black and yellow Dewalt cordless drill bag, which he uses to carry all his personal items including cheques, cellphone and cords, vehicle ownerships, insurance papers, tools, prescription Mai Jim sunglasses, regular reading glasses, phone chargers and more.

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“I’ve spent all day with the insurance companies and others trying to get things back in order,” De Vos told CHEX News on Monday.

De Vos says none of the vehicles’ alarm systems were triggered. He estimates there were between 80 and 100 vehicles at the arena.

A search of the grounds did not recover any items.

“It’s almost like they knew,” he said. “They must have had a vehicle waiting to flee.”

De Vos is offering a reward for the return of his items.

His Facebook post — which has been shared 600 times — also caught the attention of Rachel Lotton who said her parents’ purse was stolen from their vehicle.

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They were calling to report their credit card and it was being used in Brooklin as they spoke,” she wrote.

Charley Munro said a vehicle belonging to her mother Annette was also targeted.

“My mom’s credit card was used in Oshawa last night. Brutal,” wrote Munro on Sunday night.

City of Kawartha Lakes OPP are investigating the incident.

“We had owners of five vehicles report that their vehicles were entered and items were stolen,” stated Const. Jackie Hildenbrand.

Anyone having information is asked to contact the City of Kawartha Lakes OPP at 1-888-310-1122 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS) or online at www.khcs.ca

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