Barrie man's stolen truck found in shipping container

One of two trucks reported stolen from the same south-end Barrie neighbourhood in late November has been recovered in a shipping container likely destined for overseas.

The recovered truck's owner Fred Rowe says his new Dodge Ram pickup was stolen sometime early in the morning on November 29.

"My wife went out to leave to go and visit our daughter, and she came running back in, my truck was missing. It wasn't in the driveway," he said, noting a neighbour also had her truck stolen the same night.

"For something like that to happen and another one up around the street hear from us the same night, yeah you don't feel safe," he said.

Rowe hasn't been able to see his truck or learn what kind of condition it is in. He adds it appears to have been tampered with by the thieves, and several valuable tools he had inside the truck may have also disappeared for good.

"They did drill the driver's door window to get into it and pull the ignition out, reprogram the computer, took the horn out of it," he said he learned from investigators.

Detectives with Barrie police say newer model vehicles are being targeted by thieves using technology to break in and start the vehicles by replicating key fobs.

"Barrie Police Service has observed an increase in vehicle thefts over the past few weeks," said Jennett Mays, corporate communications coordinator with Barrie police.

"We are noticing that newer push-start models are being targeted, and it's believed that is because they are easier to reprogram once they are stolen," she said.

Barrie and South Simcoe police confirmed it's a resurgence in vehicle thefts.

South Simcoe Police report a 34 per cent increase from the same time last year, with close to 200 vehicles being stolen entering the month of December.

Barrie Police reminds residents to do whatever possible to prevent thieves from getting to their vehicles.

"Parking in the garage if you're able to, storing your keys away from the front door or in a device or pouch designed to protect your key fob; Faraday pouches, Faraday bags, you can also use a steering wheel lock, to help protect your vehicle," said Mays.

Fred Rowe said he is grateful for the help from police in locating his truck, and he hopes his neighbours have their vehicle recovered too.

"I've also been looking at getting another alarm on it and more cameras for the front of the house," he concluded.