There are 145,000 stories in the Royal City, and this is some of them. Looking at a week’s worth of media releases from the Guelph Police Service, there’s a lot going on in our little city crime-wise speaking, so let’s run down some of the charges, issues, and requests for information from the Guelph Police Service over the last seven days.
***Please note that not all offenses and police calls are reported in the daily Guelph Police media release.
Assault
A 39-year-old Guelph man was charged with sexual assault and forcible confinement after a woman called police last Saturday about a male co-worker at a local manufacturing plant who repeatedly touched and tried to kiss her. He also forced her to sit back down in her chair when she tried to get away from him. She also reported the assaults to her supervisor and the man was immediately terminated.
A 46-year-old Guelph man is charged with assault causing bodily harm, possessing a weapon for a dangerous purpose, mischief and voyeurism after a woman staying with an acquaintance noticed a camera in the room where she was changing her clothes. She confronted the homeowner and a physical confrontation ensued, during which she was struck several times with a bat and had her phone broken. The victim was transported to hospital for treatment of injuries including a broken hand.
Break-Ins
A 23-year-old Guelph woman was arrested downtown and charged with break, enter and commit theft in the case of a break-in at a downtown church last month that say over $7,600 in electronic equipment stolen.
Drugs
Nothing to report.
Fraud
The Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre (CAFC) is noticing an increase in reporting related to misleading home services and equipment. Victims are being contacted through ads on social media that ask for your contact information, telemarketing calls or through door-to-door sales persons. Police are asking people to be aware of solicitations involving air duct cleaning, paving services, general contracting/home maintenance, internet, cable or cellphone services, and furnace, hot water tank or other home appliances/equipment sales. Anyone who suspects they have been the victim of cybercrime or fraud should report it to their local police and to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre’s online reporting system or by phone at 1-888-495-8501.
Last weekend, police learned about a woman in her late 60s had been contacted via Facebook by someone claiming to represent a benefits program for disabled retirees. She was told that she had been approved to receive $380,000 and was shown an image of a cheque filled out in that amount, however she had to pay $39,000 to cover insurance. She met a man twice in a gas station parking lot and gave him over $17,000 in cash each time before her family found out what was happening. The suspect was described as a black male in his late 20s, 5’10”, clean shaven with a thin build and wearing a black hoodie. He said his name was Mark and at one of the meetings was carrying a small child.
A 40-year-old Guelph man is charged with fraud over $5,000 for receiving nearly $10,000 in social services benefits. He had begun receiving benefits in early 2000 after reporting he had no income, but an investigation revealed he started working later that year but did not report that income. The man was notified of the overpayment in June, 2021, but took no steps to address it and police were notified.
If you think you might be a victim of any fraud, call the Guelph Police Non-Emergency line is 519-824-5154, or contact the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre at 1-888-495-8501 or online at their website.
Impaired Driving
A 36-year-old Cambridge man is charged with impaired driving and refusing to provide a breath sample, and his licence was suspended for 90 days, after police observed a vehicle leaving The Manor making a wide turn into the oncoming lane.
Theft
A 2016 Mara open trailer was stolen from the lot of a business near Gordon and Maltby sometime on Monday or Tuesday, the vehicle was last seen on the lot on Sunday. If you have any information, call Detective Sergeant Chris Probst of the Community Safety Operations Centre at 519-824-1212, ext. 7342, or email him at cprobst [at] guelphpolice.ca.
The owner of the blue 2007 Ford F-350 Crew Cab called police Tuesday after his truck was discovered stolen from the repair shop near Michener and Woodlawn after being repaired last weekend. The truck contained some hand tools and a spare tire in the bed. If you have any information, call Special Constable Tim Jotham at 519-824-1212, ext. 7184, or email him at tjotham [at] guelphpolice.ca.
Police were called to a Dawson Road business on Tuesday morning after four men attempted to leave the business with a cart full of power tools. A brief altercation with staff ensued during which the males threatened to kill the store manager, but they fled in a white Kia which had been reported stolen the previous night in another jurisdiction. If you have any information, call Constable Graeme Adams at 519-824-1212, ext. 7419, or email him at gadams [at] guelphpolice.ca.
Police are looking for black male, approximately 6’1” with an athletic build. He was wearing a white tank top, blue jeans, dark shoes, a white surgical mask and a white cloth around his head. He’s the suspect in a robbery at a store near Eramosa and Victoria on Tuesday night where a man came in around 10 pm, got a can of pop and then held up the clerk after hoping the counter. The suspect, who claimed to have a weapon though no weapon was seen, fled on foot with a small amount of cash. If you have any information, call Constable Konrad Babol at 519-824-1212, ext. 7189, email him at kbabol [at] guelphpolice.ca.
A 25-year-old Cambridge woman was re-arrested Thursday and charged with failing to appear in court after missing a court date for a theft over $5,000 charge. On March 12, police arrested them for removing $9,600 from the manager’s safe at a Speedvale/Stevenson business.
Traffic
On Wednesday evening, a witness reported a collision in a parking lot on Clair Road East in which a hatchback reversed into a parked SUV. The driver and passenger of the hatchback switched seats before fleeing the area, and investigation revealed a 16-year-old Puslinch teen had borrowed his father’s car and decided to let his unlicensed friend, also 16, try driving in the parking lot. The collision remains under investigation.
Police were called to the intersection of Stone and Village Green after a 60-year-old cyclist rode into the crosswalk and collided with an SUV. The cyclist was not wearing a helmet and sustained minor injuries but declined medical attention. No charges were laid.
A 20-year-old Fergus man was charged with speeding and stunt driving after police clocked him doing 116 kilometres per hour in a 60 zone.
A 20-year-old Guelph man was charged with speeding and stunt driving after a police patrol clocked a Honda SUV travelling 95 kilometres per hour in a posted 50 zone.
A 64-year-old Guelph woman was charged with flight from police, stunt driving, driving while suspended and other Highway Traffic Act offences last Saturday afternoon. A suspended driver was stopped on Arthur Street North but then left the scene with a spare key as the officer was completing the paper work. Officers attended the owner’s residence and found her still sitting in the driver’s seat.
Other Notes
Police were called to College Heights Secondary School on Thursday morning following a weapons complaint. The school entered hold and secure while several officers searched for a man with a firearm who was reportedly in the parking lot, and the subject was located five minutes after the original call. No firearm was located and it was determined the original complaint was unfounded.
A 43-year-old Guelph man is further charged with failing to appear in court on Monday night after police patrolling downtown detected a vehicle registered to a male wanted for failing to appear in court on several property crimes using the automated licence plate reader.
Total calls for service last week: 1,513
If you have any information about the crimes or incidents mentioned above, you can also call Guelph Wellington Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS) or post online at csgw.tips.
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