Ottawa police on patrol for post

Ottawa police on patrol for post-storm pilferers

'Please give your neighbors the space and respect they need,' force asks

Ottawa police say they're keeping an eye out for strangers who are visiting neighbourhoods hard-hit by last week's Canada Day storm with the intent of making off with people's discarded belongings.

"We ask everyone to respect private properties and curbside properties for collection," the Ottawa Police Service (OPS) wrote in a social media post Thursday, one week into storm recovery efforts.

"These items can be damaged, personal, or part of an insurance claim. Removing property or going through items left at the curbside or on private property is not allowed under municipal ordinance and can add stress to people who are already going through a difficult situation."

OPS officers will be out on "additional patrols" in affected areas "with increased visibility" to discourage any scavenging and to support residents during cleanup.

"Please give your neighbors the space and respect they need as they recover," OPS added.

Molly McGoldrick-Larsen lives on a street in Bells Corners where several neighbours put rain-soaked items to the curb, as the City of Ottawa has encouraged people to do.

Traffic on her street has been heavier than normal, she told CBC on Tuesday.

“I look along this street and I see the emotional impact that some people are having, and it’s difficult," she said. "Please don’t drive down our street and be a tourist, or any other street that was affected.”

'Don't take that. It's contaminated,' post-storm scavengers warned

The city is also warning against any pilfering, citing the potential health impacts.

"Storm-damaged materials can present hidden hazards, including broken glass, sharp objects, mold, traces of contamination, or structural damage that may not necessarily be visible at first glance," the city wrote in a social media post on Thursday.

With files from Cassandra Bellefeuille