Credit unions in southwestern Ontario are being warned to take safety and security precautions after a robbery over the May long weekend led investigators to believe a pattern is emerging.
Police say the robbery in Grey Highlands on May 21 involved suspects using “similar methods” to a robbery in Arkona on April 4.
“Investigators believe both incidents are connected and may involve a group of suspects,” a spokesperson for West Region Ontario Provincial Police told Global News.
“I can’t get into the evidentiary information concerning the reason why the robberies are linked other than to say that the way the crimes were committed followed a similar pattern.”
Police have also released surveillance images of suspects taken during the Grey Highlands incident.
Among the security recommendations, OPP urge staff at credit unions to notify police about any “suspicious persons that seem out of place.”
If a robbery should occur, credit union employees are reminded not to touch any objects or surfaces that suspects may have touched in order to preserve evidence, and to take note of any characteristics to help identify suspects such as “behaviour, odours, clothing brands or any other identifies.”
Police also stress that if a robbery is underway, employees and members of the public should not confront, attack or chase the suspects. Instead, they should cooperate with the suspects and call 911 when it is safe to do so, police say.
The spokesperson added that police are warning credit unions to take precautions “because that’s what the suspects are targeting,” but that the tips provided “would apply to any financial institution.”