Rural residents on edge after hay theft, other suspicious activity
People living in a rural area near the Ottawa-Mississippi Mills border say they're on edge after several bales of hay were stolen last week, the latest in a string of suspicious activity in the area.
Laura Hillary said she was getting back to her property near Almonte Wednesday night when she saw her barn doors were wide open and 20 to 30 bales of hay were gone.
"I was so shocked that I must have come out three more times to double check. It seemed inconceivable to me that it was gone, that someone had clearly come out here and taken it," she said.
Hillary said the amount taken was worth more than $100. With the rising price of hay now around $6.50 per small bale, they would have fed her three horses for seven to 10 days.
She said none of her neighbours told her they'd borrowed the hay nor would she suspect any of them of outright taking it.
Instead, she said they're sharing in her nervousness given other recent events.
"People are shocked and they're worried … it's everything from hay missing, people coming home and realizing someone's rooted through their barns, a friend of ours had a horse stolen two years ago," she said.
"There's all sorts of really bad things going on. It's really alarming."
Another rural resident in the area who spoke to CBC News also said she noticed her barn had been broken into recently.
Reminder to report unusual activity
Hillary said she filed a report with Lanark County OPP and will probably put up a gate in her driveway. For now, she and her husband are parking a tractor across their driveway when they leave so nobody else can come in.
That OPP detachment and some of the other rural departments said hay bale theft hasn't been widespread this summer, but it's a good reminder of the steps you can take to be proactive.
"I know it's difficult in farming communities to completely secure things. I think one of the best ways we can help each other is keeping an eye on each other's property," said Const. Sandra Barr of the Leeds County OPP.
"If you're seeing what you believe is suspicious activity … you should give us a call. It may not be anything at all. We won't be upset if it's something perfectly legitimate but it's best to err on the side of caution."
Barr said people should also make sure their property is well-lit and fences are well-maintained.
