Both COPE service dogs vans stolen this week: Here’s what we know

The COPE service dogs in Barrie had not one but two vehicles stolen this week on two different days.

More than 20,000 vehicles are stolen in Ontario every year.

“We don’t know if they are associated to each other,” says Staff. Sgt. Robert Gravel with Barrie police.

Police say both COPE vans were stolen from a parking lot at 80 Bradford Street, the first on Monday night and the second on Thursday night.

A tracker attached to the first vehicle led police to the Shelburne area where it was located and now in the possession of the forensics unit. Both incidents were caught on camera and police plan to look through the video Friday night.

“We know there are two male suspects that attended the vehicle and attempted to gain entry by smashing a lock box that was on the driver’s side of the vehicle,” says Gravel.

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COPE breeds, raises and trains service dogs for the community.

Julia Da Silva with COPE says the organization only has the two vehicles to transport its animals around. It prepares as many as eight dogs a year.

“It was really disheartening to see the video footage,” said Da Silva. “We saw both vans getting stolen.”

Police are still searching for the second vehicle.

“Without these vans, it will slow us down or potentially our training will come to a halt. It’s frustrating because the work we do helps our community,” said Da Silva.

The one recovered vehicle remains in police hands Friday night as investigators look for anything that may have been left behind.

Anyone with information about the thefts is asked to call police.