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Happy summer!

Thank you to all the families that participate and volunteer throughout the year. Our neighbourhood is a special community because of you.

Submissions for September 2017 YMVA monthly email updates can be sent to

Neighbourhood Crime Update

In the past two months there have been two break and enter crimes in the Valley, the most recent one occurring just a week ago. In both instances, the homeowners were away at the time. In the most recent occurance, the alarm was somehow disarmed and the family returned home to find drawers opened and their belongings thrown everywhere. They lost jewelry, money and other personal items. Just this past week, there was an episode of vandalism, where a family’s car was egged while it was parked on their driveway.

According to Officer Howard Clements of 32 Division, who gave a presentation to the YMVA on May 2, the incidence of home or car break ins in Hoggs Hollow is low, though as these two recent events demonstrate, they can and do happen.

Officer Clements gave the following tips to help prevent crime in our neighbourhood:

  1. Neighbourhood Watch is no longer in operation, but being in communication with our neighbours is still a very effective means of decreasing crime
  2. Tell others when you will be away and when you expect to return
  3. Most break ins occur during the day. The potential thief will knock at the door, and if there is no answer, break in. There are now apps (such as “The Ring”)that allow you to respond to your doorbell via your cellphone, so it appears as if you are at home.
  4. Another option is “D Bell”, which alerts your cell phone when someone rings the doorbell, and allows you to take a photo of the person at the door.
  5. The best thing to do is get an alarm system – and make sure it is activated.
  6. Keep valuables in a safety deposit box or a safe bolted into the wall or floor.
  7. Put your car keys away – do not leave them in plain sight.
  8. Lock your doors, including the interior door from the garage
  9. Change the code on your garage door opener, as these are usually fairly standard, and someone else’s opener may work on your door.
  10. If you note any suspicious activity, or are concerned, call the police who will come out to investigate and provide a visible deterrent to crime.

The non-emergency police phone number is 416-808-2222. You can also report online at www.torontopolice.on.ca/citizencrimereporting

It is important for us all to be alert and to be aware of who is working on our neighbours’ property, and who is away on holiday. As a community, our vigilance and communication with each other is a key to preventing crime. Please be safe and let us know if you have experienced an issue, regardless of the success of the criminal.

Ann Fitzhenry Bedard

afbedard@rogers.com