Rash Of Thefts In Addington Highlands Leads To TV Moment On Kennebec Road

Jeff Green | Aug 31, 2022

Aralyne Gomez was already planning to travel from her home in Napanee on Sunday (August 28) to visit her grandfather, Robert Lloyd, who lives on Kennebec Road, near Northbrook.

But when she got a call telling her that his ATV had been stolen from the front yard, she jumped in the car right away to help him, and other family members, search for the missing vehicle up and down the back roads in the Northbrook/Harlowe area.

The OPP had also been called.

As Arralyne was getting close to her grandfather’s house, about a kilometre away, she came across an OPP cruiser next to a red truck, and saw an officer talking to a man in his late 40’s or early 50’s, who was standing next to a red pickup truck. There was smoke as well, behind them

“At first, I thought the man was a passer by like I was, who had just stopped to talk to the officer, but then I saw the officer escort the man to the police cruiser and place him in the back seat. He then searched the man’s pockets and removed a bag that had some white powder in it. It really was like I was watching tv,” she said in an interview on Monday (August 29).

She then saw that just passed the pickup there was a vehicle in the ditch, and that it was on fire.

“The vehicle had definitely crashed into the ditch, and it looked like anyone who had been it would have been crushed, and then it had been set on fire,” she said.

According to Marlon Lloyd, Robert’s son and next-door neighbour, two other people fled the scene into the woods. The OPP called in a canine unit, but it took time for the unit to arrive, and the men were not found.

“A car was later stolen in Harlowe, so they must have gotten away,” said Marlon.

Marlon added that his family have been living on Kennebec Road for 35 years and have never seen anything.

“There are only six houses between us and the beginning of the road, and there usually is not much traffic on the road. We have heard ATV’s buzzing up the road at night, which has never happened before either, and it isn’t anyone local,” he said.

Marlon said that he had noticed a jerry can of fuel missing a few days earlier but did not report it, thinking it may have been misplaced, but now thinks that it might be part of the same rash of incidents that had rocked the local community in recent weeks.

On August 12, the OPP reported that a robbery took place in a Northbrook at a local business.

“On August 12, just before 11am, an individual entered a business on Highway 41 in Northbrook and approached an employee indicating that they were armed and demanding cash. The individual then fled the scene in a vehicle with a quantity of cash.”

It was later reported locally that it was the Bank of Montreal that was robbed.

That incident led to an arrest.

“On August 14, OPP Lennox and Addington Detachment officers conducting patrol located the vehicle matching the description from the robbery. The lone occupant was identified by police and arrested in connection to the Northbrook robbery. The accused has also been linked to two other robberies in Pembroke and Mississippi Mills.”

Later, on August 18, Lennox and Addington OPP reported that there had been a string of incidents that they believe occurred the previous Sunday night (August 14), including “multiple reports of tires being slashed on vehicles, as well as other reports of varying damage to vehicles that may be related. It is believed there may be further occurrences that have not been reported to police.

At that time, OPP is reminded local vehicle owners of some ways to reduce their chances of victimization, by:  Keeping vehicles locked at all times with the alarm system activated if available; parking in a garage if available, or a well-lit area; Installing exterior lights and cameras; and always inspecting vehicles for damage before hitting the road.

Marlon Lloyd said that some of the OPP recommendations are not as viable in rural areas than they would be in places like Napanee.

“Not everyone out here has a garage or a shed with a door and lock to keep all vehicles, ATV’s, lawn tractors, secure like that,” he said. “Besides, we never had anything like this happen on our quiet roads until now.”

The News has reached out the OPP for details and confirmation about the incidents on Kennebec Road on August 28.

On August 30, Constable Brianna Raison, Community Safety/ Communications Officer with the Lennox and Addington OPP detachment, wrote back, saying: “I can confirm that there was an incident that took place a couple days ago, it looks like on the morning of August 28 in Addington Highlands. However, I can’t confirm details at this time as there is an ongoing investigation underway.”

She said that once the details are confirmed a release will be forthcoming, later this week.