Dealing with cottage break-ins

by calling the non-emergency line: 902-490-5020.

- Do not enter the property, avoid walking around the exterior and avoid touching anything. This will ensure any evidence that might exist is not contaminated.

- Try to protect any tire tracks or footwear tracks observed in mud that may assist investigators.

“The RCMP encourages property owners to report incidents of break-and-enter as soon as possible,” said Fairfax. “Reporting these crimes allows police to identify areas that may require additional patrols and assist in solving these crimes.”

Removing items of value will make your property less attractive to would-be thieves, he said. Items such as ATVS, firearms, tools, alcohol, and sporting equipment are consistently reported as being stolen during break-and-enters.

“The reality is that many of these properties are unattended and not checked on a regular basis, allowing them to become more vulnerable to this type of crime,” he said.

If you observe any suspicious activity in your area, report it to police, Fairfax said.

“Don’t hesitate as your actions might prevent you or others from becoming a victim of crime.”

Anyone with information regarding break-and-enters in your community is asked to contact Annapolis District RCMP at 902-825-2000 in Middleton or 902-665-4481 in Bridgetown.

If you wish to remain anonymous, you can also contact Nova Scotia Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477) or text TIP202 + your message to ‘CRIMES’ (274637) or submit tips by Secure Web Tips at www.crimestoppers.ns.ca. Calls to Crime Stoppers are not taped or traced and if police make an arrest and lay charges based on a tip, callers qualify for a cash award.