Arrest made, charges laid after attempted vehicle theft in Cambridge

An arrest has been made following an investigation into an attempted vehicle theft in Cambridge.

Waterloo Regional Police (WRPS) responded on Nov. 20 at around 11:45 p.m. after receiving reports of an attempted vehicle theft in the area of West River Rd. and Grand Ridge Dr.

Officers say a suspect was attempting to steal a newer Toyota vehicle parked in a driveway when they were interrupted by the homeowners. A physical altercation broke out, with the residents physically restraining the suspect until police arrived and arrested the man.

Following an investigation, officers were able to locate and seize an automobile master key along with vehicle programming equipment and tools. The suspect, a 27-year-old from Wellington County has now been charged with:

• Robbery
• Attempt vehicle theft
• Disguise with intent
• Possession of device for vehicle theft
• Possession of automobile master key
• Possession of break-in instruments
• Breach release order (two counts)

Police say the man was also arrested on an outstanding warrant held by another police service. The man was held in police custody for a bail hearing.

WRPS is now encouraging individuals to consider taking various theft prevention measures, including:

• Blocking the access to the onboard diagnostic port to prevent thieves from reprogramming the vehicle’s key fob or purchase an aftermarket immobilizer.
• Using a steering wheel locking device to deter theft.
• When not in use, placing the vehicle key fob inside a radio frequency shielding bag/pouch to block cell signals.
• Considering equipping your vehicle with an aftermarket Global Positioning System (GPS) tracker, as organized groups can easily defeat onboard manufacturing tracking. The tracker may assist police in locating the vehicle and/or suspects.
• Considering installing a wired camera system and audible alarm, as subjects are known to carry devices with the ability to jam wireless cameras.
• Ensuring all keys are accounted for and never left in the vehicle or unattended.

It adds that if you see any suspicious people in your neighborhood who are looking into vehicles, to call police immediately, saying it assists investigators in tracking the ongoing patterns of criminal behaviour along with potentially identifying suspects.

A crime in progress can be reported by calling 9-1-1. Any non-emergency incidents can be reported by calling 519-570-9777.