With five officers having returned to Hay River on Saturday, the RCMP undertook patrols to follow up on social media reports of rampant break and enters in certain neighbourhoods.
“The RCMP did not find any evidence to support these claims. The actual number of break-ins, if any, will not be known until residents are allowed to return however, the reports of widespread or substantial looting appear to be false,” the Mounties stated in a Sunday morning news release.
The police noted that the five officers are on short-notice evacuation status due to wildfire activity, but they will remain in the community as long as it’s safe.
“The return of RCMP officers to Hay River does not mean that it is safe for residents to return. Information regarding re-entry will come from the Town of Hay River, when it is safe to do so,” according to the Mounties.
In Yellowknife, the police were pleased to report “that there is very little to report.”
There were a few calls pertaining suspicious persons and potential break and enters, but officers found that none of the properties in question had actually been targetted by criminals.
In one instance, a report of a suspicious person turned out to be an essential worker who was checking on properties and watering plants for people in their neighbourhood, the RCMP stated.
“The Yellowknife RCMP truly appreciate the efforts of those that have remained in the community to look out for their neighbourhoods and call in to report suspicious activity,” the news release reads.