911 call catches car thief in the act

On May 20, a young woman heard noises outside her residence. She looked out the window to find a man in her car. The headlights were on and he was in the driver’s seat. She quickly called 911 and a dispatcher called for police.

When E Platoon officers arrived, they saw the man described by the complainant, in a car wearing a seatbelt and operating the windshield wipers. At first, the man didn’t notice the officers, so they surrounded the vehicle and ordered him to put his hands on the steering wheel. The suspect did as he was told and the vehicle owner assisted police from the safety of her home, by unlocking the car doors with her key fob.

The man, who was armed with a knife, was arrested and is now facing multiple charges.

The Ottawa Police Service would like to remind the public to always report any suspicious activity or crimes in progress by calling 911 right away.