March 14 – 15, 2017 Incidents

Storm related occurrences

Brockville Police report only one minor collision over the past 24 hours during the latest winter storm. Yesterday morning officers attended the area of William Street at Eleanor for a minor collision involving two cars. There were no injuries as a result of the accident.

Officers were kept busy throughout the city during the storm, responding to 28 calls for service including assisting stranded motorists, and responding to business alarms during the evening and overnight hours which appear to have been set off by the winds from the storm.

 

Missing Person update: Marissa Steacy

Brockville Police are receiving calls from family members, friends, and members of the public and who have either seen or talked with Marissa in the Brockville area over the past couple of days. Police are still looking to speak with Marissa to check on her well-being and ensure she is in good health.

 

Fail to Attend Court

A 17 year old Brockville youth was arrested yesterday on an arrest warrant for failing to attend court. Officers spotted the youth walking in the city’s north end and knew he was wanted for the outstanding warrant. He was arrested without incident and brought to the Brockville Police Service where he was processed and released from custody on a Promise to Appear with a future court date.

 

Fraud Prevention Month Series: This week – Rental Scams

In this fraud scheme, the fraudsters create false classified as usually online for rentals in preferred locations. These ads often target seniors, single parents or students attending post-secondary education. The ads are often posted with a below average asking price to draw attention and get the quick sale, and the fraudster will give interested customers a questionnaire asking for personal information which may include banking information, personal contact information, occupation, and possibly even employment and income information.

The scammer will portray themselves as an out-of-town landlord who is looking for a good tenant to look after their property. Tours of the property are not available at the time of the ad but pictures will be posted in the online advertisement and scammers will indicate a full refund is available if the rental does not meet their satisfaction.

Once the offer is accepted, first and last month’s rent must be sent by the consumer to secure the property. Money is usually sent by email or wire transfer in exchange for the keys. The result is no keys are ever sent, there is no rental available.

Over the past year the Brockville Police have investigated two similar occurrences where victims lost approximately $1000 in each case and were able to lay charges in one of the occurrences. Prosecution can be very difficult as many times the deposit money is sent out of Canada

How to protect yourself:

  • When searching for rentals go to the property, schedule a showing and confirm its availability
  • Request a contract or lease and read through it
  • Do an internet search to ensure it is not a duplicate post
  • Do not send funds to strangers, especially if those funds are going outside of Canada
  • Always remember if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is