Edmonton police are searching for the owners of a number of items believed to have been stolen in a string of car thefts in a northwest neighbourhood earlier this month.
Officers found the allegedly stolen items after they were called to the area of 130 Avenue and 114 Street, on Jan. 18.
On the scene, police found a black backpack, containing a black-handled hatchet, three GPS units, four car stereo faceplates and one eBook reader.
It’s believed the items were stolen, and could be connected to a recent spike in theft from vehicles in the Calder neighbourhood between Jan. 1 and 18 – it’s believed not all complainants came forward.
In the reported spike, there were eight reported thefts in the area, which police said is almost double the monthly average for the area – investigators said the incidences of theft in the area dropped after that backpack was found.
Police are using the find to remind Edmontonians to report thefts to police, no matter how small they may appear to be.
“Sometimes, victims of property crimes are reluctant to report the incidents,” Sgt. Jared Buhler said in a press release. “They may be embarrassed they left their vehicle unlocked, don’t want to be inconvenienced filing reports or insurance claims or think it’s not important enough for police to investigate.
“However, reporting incidents helps us to detect criminals who are active in the area, and prevent other similar crimes.”
Police are asking anyone who believes any of the items may belong to them, to call police at 780-391-6100, and provide a brief description of the stolen item – including the item, brand name, and serial number, along with contact information.
