Is petty crime getting more brazen? Londoner's basketball net stolen from driveway

Dave Reeds discovered someone had walked off with his kids' basketball net early Tuesday morning after checking his security camera remotely from his trailer in Ennismore, Ont.

In the short clip, a person can be seen moving the basketball hoop past a vehicle.

"They emptied the water out of the base and then decided to carry it down the road," said the father of three, who believes his camera captured the same woman on his driveway two days earlier.

"We feel violated," he said. 

You can't just go stealing other people's property and think you can get away with it.- Dave Reeds

This isn't the first time Reeds has been hit by thieves. Last year, someone rifled through Reeds' truck causing a couple thousand dollars in damage and then returned 45 minutes later and stole his wife's SUV.

"It's going up the crime rate, I would say," said Reeds.

Property crimes up

Crime statistics from the London police show that is the case. Reported thefts in the last five years have risen by 6 per cent to 10,016 in 2021. 

Property crime in the city has also seen a massive leap, up a staggering 64 per cent. In 2021, more than 15,500 incidents were reported to police. 

The data also shows fewer property crimes are being resolved in London. In 2017, 22 per cent were cleared, with 14 per cent resolved in 2021.

Neighbours have since tracked down the basketball hoop and have returned it to Reeds property, he said.

"Some people may be down, at rough times, but it's not fair for you to take other people's property," he said. "We've worked hard for everything."

Thief steals basketball hoop from London driveway

2 years ago

Duration 0:18

Londoner's camera captures a thief making off with a basketball net from their driveway in the city's east end.

"That is just ridiculous," said one person who commented on a popular Facebook group which tracks crime in the city's east end. "We can't bring those in at night. I guess we have to start chaining them up too."

"Just hopefully she knows what the end result is," said Reeds. "You can't just go stealing other people's property and think you can get away with it."