The incident occurred on Thursday, Jan. 22, sometime between 12:45 and 5:30 p.m., when a burglar entered the house by breaking a small window on the back door and unlocking it. He then searched the house, found and stole the homeowner’s safe, and left through the front door.

“Unfortunately, (the owners) forgot to turn on the alarm system,” said Station 12 Constable Adalbert Pimentel.

The police have no suspects at the moment, but did receive another call from a nearby resident who noticed strange footprints in her back yard. Police found a second set in a nearby yard.

“That should be looked at as suspicious,” Pimentel said.

“It’s possible that someone is entering back yards to see if the house is empty or not.”

If Westmount residents notice unexplainable footprints in their yards, they should notify police, he added, and “if they see anybody without legitimate reason for being there, that’s enough to call 911.”

Police did seize two items from the crime scene that were marked with fingerprints.

Pimentel emphasized the importance of being diligent about setting the alarm system and getting good locks for all the doors. Homeowners would be wise to invest in timers for lights and radios and, if they are leaving for a longer period of time, should make sure the stairs and driveway are shovelled clean and that the mail is collected regularly.

“It’s creating layers of security,” he said. “The more they have the less chance they have of being victims.”

Station 12 police are asking anybody who may have information on the case to contact them directly at 514-280-0412.