Perth Ontario - Ontario Provincial Police are investigating after a train ran over a "bogus body" that had been left on the tracks in Perth early Monday.
 
It's the second time this year someone has committed the prank.
 
Police said they were called to the Canadian Pacific Railway (CP) crossing on Wilson Street West at about 01:55 Monday after receiving reports the barriers and lights were malfunctioning.
 
While responding to the call, they learned from CP employees that a train had stopped in the town after the crew feared they had struck someone on the tracks about 10 minutes earlier.
 
Police said an unknown person or persons had placed objects on the track that resembled a human being.
 
Police weren't releasing many details about exactly what was left on the tracks, but OPP Const. David Bird said, "it was sufficient to be thought to be an actual person. I think the investigators worry that people look at this as shoplifting, that it's a victimless crime here, that it's a prank," said Bird.
 
Bird said it isn't funny to the train's crew, who believe that they've just run over someone.
 
"It has an impact on people. The crew changed on the train as a matter of course because it affects their well-being," he said.
 
A spokeswoman for CP said in an emailed statement that the railway finds the hoax "extremely troubling" given the impact it has on their crews.
 
Bird said it isn't easy for police officers either.
 
"We're professionals, we do what we have to do, but it's no fun for the officers to be looking for what they think to be human body parts in the middle of the night," said Bird.
 
The train was eventually able to continue at about 02:30 after several hours of delay.
 
Bird said a similar stunt was pulled on the same kilometre of track on 24 May 2016.
 
Police are treating the two as separate incidents for now.
 
Police said whoever put the items on the track could be charged with mischief and trespassing on a railway line.
 
Anyone with information is asked to contact the Lanark County OPP at 1-888- 310-1122 or Lanark County Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.
 
Andrew Seymour.