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 20-year-old Guelph man was charged with assault causing bodily harm after another man was left lying in a large pool of blood on a downtown sidewalk just after midnight Friday. The two men were outside a bar and recognized each other from a previous argument. Things got physical and the victim was knocked down, hitting his head on a large planter and then the sidewalk.
On Thursday afternoon a 65-year-old Guelph man was arrested for sexual interference, two counts of sexual assault and obtaining sexual services for consideration for an incident downtown Tuesday evening when a 15-year-old boy reported that he was approached by an older man he did not know and offered money for sex. The suspect then threw cash at the teen and followed him into a business where the victim was touched in a sexual manner. A woman coming to the teen’s aid then became the suspect’s focus. He asked her to go to his house for sex before twice sexually assaulting her outside business. The suspect left before officers arrived, but was identified through investigation.
A 33-year-old Guelph woman was charged with assault with a weapon, uttering threats, mischief over $5,000, assaulting a police officer and two counts of disobeying a court order after police were called to a hotel at Silvercreek and Woodlawn on Wednesday afternoon. The suspect smashed computers, threw food and drink, and caused a minor injury when a hotel employee refused to rent her a room.
Break-Ins
At approximately 5:20 am on Wednesday, police were contacted by the owner of a business near Stone and Scottsdale after a motion alarm was tripped. Officers arrived a short time later and found the glass front door had been smashed and product scattered on the floor. They also observed vomit on the floor behind the sales counter. It is not yet known what was stolen. If you have any information, call Constable Mike Nixon at 519-824-1212, ext. 7028, or email mnixon [at] guelphpolice.ca.
On Tuesday, a 33-year-old Guelph man was arrested for break and enter, theft of a motor vehicle and possessing stolen property over $5,000 in connection to a break-in on Cole Road last month. A 56-year-old Guelph man was also arrested for possessing stolen property and possessing a controlled substance.
Drugs
A 37-year-old Guelph woman was charged with possession for the purpose of trafficking, possessing a controlled substance and breaching a probation order last Friday evening. Police on patrol on Quebec Street saw a woman holding a glass pipe with visible drug residue and a search revealed six contaminated pipes, a quantity of suspected cocaine, a scale and two cellphones.
Fraud
On Wednesday, a 54-year-old Kitchener woman was arrested for fraud over $5,000, possessing stolen property over $5,000, breach of trust by a public official, laundering proceeds of crime and uttering a forged document for defrauding a Guelph-based social services agency of almost $25,000. It is alleged between July and October 2024, an employee submitted multiple fraudulent claims using fabricated documentation and client information.
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 19-year-old Guelph man is charged with impaired driving, careless driving and failing to provide a driver’s licence after an erratic driver was reported and then reportedly involved in a minor collision at Edinburgh and London. While speaking to the driver, officers noted him to be unsteady on his feet and delayed in responding to questions.
Theft
On Sunday at 5:41 pm, a man entered the LCBO store on Paisley Road, walked around the store for more than 10 minutes, asked staff questions about various products, and placed 11 bottles of whisky into two shopping bags inside his cart before walking out and thanking staff. He is described as possibly Indian, 40 to 50, 5’11” with a large build, brown eyes, short black hair and a goatee. He was wearing a red golf shirt, black cargo pants and black shoes. He was carrying two blue shopping bags with multi-coloured designs on them. If you have any information, call Constable Scott Srigley at 519-824-1212, ext. 7298, email ssrigley [at] guelphpolice.ca.
On, Monday morning a resident near Edinburgh and Carrington reported her white 2014 Nissan Versa hatchback was stolen from the driveway overnight. The car has distinctive decals on the rear window including a Fox Racing logo and the words “Tuna no crust.” The complainant’s wallet was in the car and her credit cards were used at approximately 2 am. If you have any information call Special Constable Amanda Chalmers at 519-824-1212, ext. 7516, email achalmers [at] guelphpolice.ca.
Police are investigating after the building superintendent reported three storage rooms, an electrical room and a multi-purpose room had all been entered in a west end apartment last Friday morning. Security video showed a woman breaking into a lock box a week earlier and removing the master key set. Police have been able to identify the suspect but have not yet located her, and the building’s owners will need to replace all the locks, which is expected to cost at least $12,000.
A 31-year-old Palmerston man is charged with breaching a conditional sentence, possessing stolen property and possessing break-in instruments after police responded to an unrelated call last Friday morning. A man they spoke to was sentenced a month ago to a six-month conditional sentence of house arrest, during which he must remain in his residence except for work and medical emergencies. He had a stolen driver’s licence, credit card and various break-in tools on him.
A 49-year-old Guelph man is charged with theft of motor vehicle, dangerous driving and theft under $5,000 last Friday morning after a dispute between a delivery driver and an employee at a Woodlawn Road West. The employee grabbed the driver’s phone, exited the store and got into the delivery van, driving away while the victim briefly hung onto the driver’s door. The employee drove the van around the plaza parking lot at a high speed, nearly hitting a witness and the victim.
Traffic
Just before 2:30 am last Saturday, police were called to the intersection of Wellington and Neeve. A pedestrian was crossing within the crosswalk when he was hit, causing him to become airborne before landing on the road. The driver offered to drive the victim home and then offered $300 not to report the collision. When witnesses suggested he needed an ambulance, and the driver returned to his car and fled. The suspect was described as a white man, 18 to 23, 5’8” to 5’9” with a thin build, blonde or light brown hair which was shorter on the sides and curly on top and wearing a light-coloured t-shirt and shorts. He was driving an older red compact car, possibly a Toyota or Nissan. If you have any information, call Constable Nick Dowe at 519-824-1212, ext. 7602, or email ndowe [at] guelphpolice.ca.
A 26-year-old Guelph woman was charged with failing to comply with an undertaking after police were notified of a possible impaired driver leaving a south-end plaza Tuesday afternoon. The driver wasn’t impaired, but she is urrently on an undertaking with a condition not to occupy the driver’s seat of any vehicle after being arrested in December for fleeing the scene of an accident.
Other Notes
On Thursday afternoon, police were called to a school near downtown after witnesses observed at least two men in a car brandishing handguns. The school was placed in lockdown, and officers located the car parked near the school with one occupant, who was arrested at gunpoint. A second male was located inside the school a short time later and the third was located at home. Investigation revealed they were in possession of water pistols. All three teens were cautioned for possessing a weapon for a dangerous purpose. In lieu of charges they will complete an educational diversion program through the John Howard Society.
On Tuesday a 63-year-old Guelph man was arrested for mischief for loudly playing recordings of barking dogs and sirens for 45 minutes. This is the second time the same person has been arrested for mischief related to over a dozen noise complaints since last summer.
A 27-year-old Guelph man is facing three counts of breaching a conditional sentence. He was ordered to remain in his residence at all times except for specific exemptions and not to possess any weapons, and on Monday he was found downtown with a knife in a sheath found in his possession.
A 35-year-old Guelph man was arrested for 16 counts of mischief under $5,00 slashing the tires on several cars parked at two west-end apartment buildings last Friday.
Total calls for service last week: 1,694
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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