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
At 3:15 pm last Friday, police were called to a business on Silvercreek Parkway North. A man was caught concealing items and confronted by the store manager. The suspect then got very close to the manager’s face and uttered the threat. A customer intervened and the suspect left. He was described as white, 5’7” and wearing a sky blue hoodie, glasses and a mask. He was riding a bicycle. If you have any information, call Constable Alex Chaves at 519-824-1212, ext. 7351, or email achaves [at] guelphpolice.ca.
A 60-year-old Guelph man was arrested at his home Sunday and charged with assault with a weapon after an incident last Saturday in a parking lot on Speedvale West were the man stopped in a fire route. A security guard asked to driver to move the car into a parking spot, prompting a confrontation during which the driver yelled and swore at the guard before he got into his car and intentionally drove at him forcing the guard to get out of the way.
Break-Ins
Police are investigating two variety store break-ins early Friday but it’s not known if they are related. First, at around 3:20 am, a business near Fife and Elmira was entered by three men who stole cigarettes, lottery tickets and cash, and then 20 minute later about $15,000 worth of cigarettes as well as cash was stolen from another business Eastview and Watson. In the west end, the three suspect ere all wearing masks and gloves. One wore a blue sweater and green or grey jeans and the other two were wearing black. They left the scene in a black four-door Infiniti. Anyone with information is asked to call Constable Nicholas Borg of the Break Enter Auto Theft Unit at 519-824-1212, ext. 7172, email nborg [at] guelphpolice.ca.
Three pricey sets of Pokemon cards were stolen during a break and enter near Woodlawn and Woolwich. Officers arrived at the business at 12:40 am on Thursday morning and found the front door unlocked and scratches near the interior locking mechanism. When staff arrived, they discovered that four Pokemon Greninja card sets – valued at $190 each – were missing. If you have any information call Constable Danielle Driscoll at 519-824-1212, ext. 7565, or email ddriscoll [at] guelphpolice.ca.
At approximately 3:50 am on Tuesday, three men entered business near Speedvale and Marksam. Security video showed them arriving in a black car, pry the door open, and take the safe, the cash register, cigarettes and two trays of lottery tickets. The suspects were described as:
- White, thin build, black medical mask, black sweater with the hood up, black pants, black and white shoes, white gloves
- White, heavy build, black ski mask, blue sweater, black pants, black shoes, black gloves
- White, heavy build, black ski mask, black sweater, black pants, black shoes, black gloves
They were driving a four-door black Infiniti with silver rims. If you have any information, call Constable Chantel Bennett at 519-824-1212, ext. 7592, email cbennett [at] guelphpolice.ca.
Monday morning, police were called to a business near Edinburgh and London after an employee found a hole that had been cut in the roof. Security video showed someone climbing up to the roof Sunday at 11 pm, cut a hole in the roof, climb down and stole cigarettes. He came back an hour later and stole more cigarettes. The suspect is described as 6′ with a medium build and wearing a black jacket with silver emblem on the shoulder, black hoodie, tan khaki pants, winter boots and red gloves. Anyone with information is asked to call Constable Emily Richardson at 519-824-1212, ext. 7486,or email erichardson [at] guelphpolice.ca.
Just before 9 am last Saturday police were called to a break-in at a business inside Stone Road Mall. Two men entered the mall and went to one of the kiosk businesses, where a tool was used to force open drawers and steal a number of phones with a total value of $7,800. Both men were described as possibly South Asian in their late 20s with chin strap beards and goatees. One was approximately 6’1” and 200 pounds and wearing khaki-coloured Adidas track pants, a grey jacket and black shoes. The other was shorter and wearing a silver jacket, burgundy track pants and white running shoes. They fled in a newer navy blue Hyundai Elantra. Anyone with information is asked to call Constable Sherry Pettapiece at 519-824-1212, ext. 7479, or email spettapiece [at] guelphpolice.ca.
Shortly after noon on Sunday, police were called to a business near Woodlawn and Woolwich where a manager arrived at work to find the front door insecure. It is believed a tool was used to pry it open, and a backpack and two sets of Pokemon cards with a total value of nearly $500 were stolen. If you have any information, call Constable Michael Doehn at 519-824-1212, ext. 7587, or email mdoehn [at] guelphpolice.ca.
Drugs
Nothing to report.
Fraud
Following Valentine’s Day, Guelph Police and the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre are warning members of the public about possible romance scams. Victims are typically contacted on dating websites or social media, often using real pictures found on social media of real people. Once a connection is made, victims will be asked to switch to a different method of communication such as Whatsapp, Signal and others.
Some red flags to look out for: If a profile seems too perfect, if a suspect tries to move communication to a more private or different method of communication, if any attempt to meet in person gets cancelled or there’s always an excuse to not meet-up, or if someone offers you a get rich quick investment opportunities, or offering to “coach” you on crypto investing. To protect yourself, don’t give out your personal information, don’t accept friend requests from people you do not know, don’t invest your money in platforms provided by people you don’t know, and never send money to someone you haven’t met.
A 22-year-old Ottawa man was charged with fraud over $5,000 after a Guelph woman lost more than $13,000 in an investment scam. The two met online last April, and then in real life where he told her he he buys and resells high-end watches and invited his new friend to invest. A warrant was issued in December and he turned himself into police on Thursday.
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 is charged with impaired operation, her licence was suspended for 90 days and her vehicle was impounded for seven days last Saturday morning. Police were called to Gordon and Kortright where a woman was sitting in her car after going off road and hitting a pole. She had more than the legal amount of alcohol in her system.
Theft
A 25-year-old Guelph man is charged with robbery and disobeying a court order after he took an Uber to a Speedvale Avenue store Thursday morning and tried to buy three cans of beer. It was after 2 am so the clerk was unable to process the purchase. The man left, came back and asked the clerk if he would sell him beer if he had a gun pointed at him. Since the man was fidgety and had his hand in his pocket, the clerk called the police and the man grabbed six beers and left the store. Police found him shortly after.
On Tuesday a 33-year-old Hamilton woman was arrested for theft under $5,000 for an April 2024 theft of $3,800 in cosmetics at a store near Speedvale and Woolwich.
Traffic
A 21-year-old Kitchener man was charged with dangerous driving, flight from police, driving without insurance and several Highway Traffic Act offences. Police on patrol at the noon hour last Thursday near Willow and Dawson spotted a vehicle with an improper licence plate and very loud exhaust. When the police car moved to pursue, the driver sped up, passed other cars and ran a red light. Police decided that they’d catch up to him later, and they did on Sunday.
Other Notes
A 33-year-old Guelph man was charged with 26 counts each of mischief under $5,000 and attempted theft under $5,000, plus two counts of failing to comply with a bail order and one count of breaching a probation order. Early Tuesday morning, 26 vehicles had their windows smashed along Cork and Yarmouth Streets causing $13,000 in damage. If anyone had their vehicle damaged in the downtown area during the early morning hours of Tuesday and has not reported it to police, please call Constable Michael Braga at 519-824-1212, ext. 7144, or email mbraga [at] guelphpolice.ca.
A 60-year-old Breslau man was finally charged with failing to appear in court after missing a June 2021 impaired driving and driving while suspended charge. He turned himself in to police on Thursday.
Total calls for service last week: 1,596
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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