A Grinch has put a damper on the holidays for some people in one Cape Breton community.
Police are investigating a rash of thefts from vehicles and sheds in Baddeck, Nova Scotia on Christmas Eve morning.
Donnie Green says the timing couldn’t be worse. His father’s wallet was stolen out of his vehicle the same day the family was getting ready to lay a loved one to rest.
“Certainly not something we needed the morning of my grandfather’s funeral,” says Green. “To find out we had been broken into, bah humbug, really, right? For someone to do that, this time of year especially.”
The thieves struck all over the Baddeck area, but Green’s street appears to be among the hardest hit.
“You could see the tracks in the snow going to each vehicle,” he says. “All of the vehicles around our block, they had tried to get into or had gotten into.”
The Greens are among more than 20 people whose vehicles or sheds were broken into. Police says it all took place during a span of a few hours.
Staff Sgt. Craig Yorke with the Baddeck RCMP says wallets, purses, GPS systems, money and even Christmas Gifts were among the items stolen.
Police say in nearly every case, the vehicles broken into were unlocked, but people in the quiet tight-knit community say it’s the kind of place where people feel safe leaving doors unlocked at night.
“Because they’re in plain view, if you leave your vehicle unlocked, people are out looking for an opportunity,” says Staff Sgt. Yorke. “There you go, it’s a crime of opportunity. They’re getting away with it.”
Police say they are getting a number of leads and have identified at least one person of interest.
With files from CTV Atlantic’s Ryan MacDonald
