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 53-year-old Guelph woman was charged with two counts of assault to prevent an arrest and one count of assaulting a police officer on Sunday morning downtown. A woman began screaming in the face of an officer arresting a man and then pulled her foot back as if she was going to kick the officer. A second officer arrived on scene and tried to detain the woman, who kicked him in the shin. She was arrested and transported to the police station, where she kicked another officer while being searched.
A 19-year-old Guelph man was charged with arson and assault with a weapon following two separate incidents at a group home last Saturday. Several residents had been involved in a verbal dispute when one used a butane canister to set a bathroom counter on fire. The fire was contained to the bathroom and no injuries were reported. Later that afternoon, two residents were arguing in the kitchen when one threw a pot, which narrowly missed the other resident but caused a large dent in a fridge.
Break-Ins
At approximately 4:45 am on Tuesday, police received a call from a security guard who discovered that three businesses in a plaza near Gordon and Clair had been entered. Surveillance video from one of the businesses showed three men entering the plaza on foot from Poppy Drive; one was carrying a hammer which he used to smash the glass doors and small amounts of cash were reported stolen from each of the businesses, plus a tablet was torn off a wall at one of the businesses. Anyone with information is asked to call Constable Kent Schneider at 519-824-1212, ext. 7164, or email kschneider [at] guelphpolice.ca.
On Wednesday morning, a 39-year-old Waterloo man was arrested and charged with break and enter and possessing stolen property over $5,000 for a December 16 break-in at a Woodlawn Road West business where nearly $50,000 worth of scratch-off lottery tickets were stolen. The thief tried to redeem one of the stolen lotto tickets that night.
A 47-year-old Guelph man was charged with trespassing by night, carrying a concealed weapon, possessing stolen property, possessing break and enter tools, obstructing police, three counts of breaching bail and failing to appear in court last Friday morning. Police were called to the area of Cedarvale and Oakes after multiple vehicles were broken into, and the suspect was caught after a brief foot chase. The investigation revealed that he is currently on bail with conditions to remain in his residence unless with his surety, not to possess weapons and not to possess any break and enter tools, all of which he had on him when he was arrested.
A 34-year-old Brampton man faces two counts of break and enter related to an incident in Stone Road Mall in December where two men broke into a store, and stole more than $17,000 worth of phones and tablets. There was a second break-in on January 5 where $2,000 worth of items were stolen.
Drugs
Nothing to report.
Fraud
On Tuesday morning, a woman contacted police and reported she had received messages from an unknown person through a messaging app, which included photos of her three children and indicated their lives could be at risk if the woman did not pay $1,000. She contacted police instead who discovered that the photos had been taken from the victim’s own Facebook account. If you have any information, call Anyone with information Constable Graeme Adams at 519-824-1212, ext. 7419, or email gadams [at] guelphpolice.ca.
A man in his 60s reported to police Tuesday that he was playing an online game on his phone when he received a message which appeared to be from a woman and included a revealing profile photo. They began chatting and the woman eventually asked the complainant to send a photo of himself, which he did. Later, he received a fake Facebook post which included that photo and a photo of an exposed penis, which was clearly meant to suggest the penis was the complainant’s and the user threatened to share it unless he sent Apple gift cards. Reminder, be careful who you share pictures with online.
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 28-year-old Guelph woman for impaired driving, plus dangerous driving, failing to remain at a collision and driving without insurance for an incident on January 23 where a driver sideswiped a bus and then hit two parked vehicles while trying to make a turn. The second impact tore off one of the truck’s front wheels but the driver again fled until she had to pull over because of the extensive damage.
A 47-year-old Guelph man was charged with impaired driving last Saturday after police pulled the car over because it has an expired license plate permit. The driver failed a roadside breath test after officer dedicated the odour of alcohol on his breath.
Theft
A white 2019 Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT was found missing from the driveway of a home near Starwood and Summit Ridge. Both keys were still inside the house, and the people that lived their were away on vacation. If you have any information is asked to call Constable Matt Simpson at 519-824-1212, ext. 7318, or email msimpson [at] guelphpolice.ca.
At approximately 7:30 am last Saturday, a resident near Flanders and Devere reported that his grey 2024 Tundra had been stolen from the driveway sometime overnight. Early Tuesday morning the truck was located by police in Brampton. And yet, another 2024 grey Tundra was taken a from driveway near Whilelaw and Paisley on Thursday morning at 4:20 am. The truck was last scene being driven towards Fife followed by a black pick-up. If you have information on that theft, call Detective Sergeant Ian Smith of the Break Enter Auto Theft Unit at 519-824-1212, ext. 7125, or email ismith [at] guelphpolice.ca.
Other Tundra incidents:
-Just after 7 am last Friday, a resident of Clairfields Drive West reported they had come outside in the morning to find a window broken on their 2022 Tundra and the steering wheel cut to remove an anti-theft device. The truck is equipped with an immobilizer device, preventing it from being stolen.
-Just after 2 am Saturday a resident near Grange and Cityview reported someone had just attempted to steal his 2023 Tundra, smashing a window and breaking part of the steering column. The truck was equipped with a brake pedal locking device. Video show two men – one dressed in all black and the other in all red – arriving in a small silver car and approaching the truck. A small white SUV with a moon roof also drove past twice however it is not known if the occupants were involved.
-That same night a resident near Willow and Marksam reported his black 2024 Tundra had just been stolen from his driveway. A white Acura SUV and silver Hyundai sedan was seen stopping in front of the house and a short time later saw his truck being driven away.
-Just before 3 am Saturday a resident near Kortright and Ironwood was awakened by a grinding sound. He looked outside and saw two vehicles – described as a white SUV and a red SUV – fleeing from the area. A window had been smashed on his Tundra and the steering wheel had been cut to remove an anti-theft device.
-Approximately two hours later, a resident near Pine Ridge and Farley was awakened by a motion sensor alarm. He looked outside and saw a man walking away from the his Tundra. The man got into the passenger side of another Tundra which had been parked along the street. That Tundra drove and parked in front of the complainant’s house. He activated his alarm and the two males ran back to the second truck and fled the area.
-At approximately 7:30 am Saturday, a resident near Flanders and Devere reported his grey 2024 Tundra had been stolen from the driveway sometime overnight. It was described as having a grey fiberglass cap on the back.
-Since September 1, nine Toyota Tundras have been stolen in Guelph and attempts have been made to steal at least eight more. Anyone with information is asked to call Detective Sergeant Ian Smith of the BEAT Unit at 519-824-1212, ext. 7125, or emailismith [at] guelphpolice.ca.
On Thursday afternoon, police were called to a business on Waterloo Avenue after an employee arrived and found the store in disarray. As he tidied up, he discovered a garbage bin and several tools – including drills, blowers and other items – were missing. If you have any information, call Constable Alex Chaves at 519-824-1212, ext. 7351, or email achaves [at] guelphpolice.ca.
At approximately 6:30 pm on Monday evening, police received a call from a business near Woodlawn and Silvercreek where a man entered the store, got on an electric minibike and rode it out the front doors. The bike was described as a black and red Kandi Trail King child-size minibike valued at $1,000. The suspect was a white male, 5’9”, wearing a red flannel shirt or jacket, dark-coloured vest, grey and black winter hat with ear flaps and a backpack with a helmet hanging from it. If you have any information, call Constable Scott Srigley at 519-824-1212, ext. 7298, or email ssrigley [at] guelphpolice.ca.
An 18-year-old Waterloo man was arrested in Toronto on Wednesday while serving a sentence for an unrelated matter for an attempted robbery at a Guelph business in the summer of 2023 and the actual robbery of a large quantity of prescription medication at a pharmacy in Brantford. A 19-year-old Waterloo man was earlier arrested on similar charges and will appear in court later this month.
Traffic
Nothing to report.
Other Notes
Police are investigating after a man tried to get a child into his vehicle last Saturday night. At approximately 9 pm a mother and her 13-year-old daughter had just left a business near Paisley and Imperial when the daughter was approached by a man who told her to get into the vehicle to play a game called “happy car.” The mother yelled at the man and he drove away. He was described as a white man in his late 20s or early 30s, with wavy light sandy brown hair and a goatee. He was driving a white SUV. If you have any information, call Constable Abdullah Eidokheil at 519-824-1212, ext. 7415, or email aeidokheil [at] guelphpolice.ca.
A 29-year-old Brampton man was charged with publishing intimate images without consent this week following an investigation that dates back to 2016. A woman had sent the images to a man with whom she had an online relationship, but had never met in person, and the images ended up posted online. The images popped again two years later, but the suspect was not taken into custody till this week when he was arrested by Canadian Border Service Agency officers after flying into Pearson Airport.
Total calls for service last week: 1,672
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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