POLICE NOTES: Bank Robbery, Driveway Repair Scams, and a Perfume Heist

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 43-year-old Guelph man was charged with assault and breaching a probation order on Thursday afternoon after a man struck a woman with his shopping bag and yelled at her so close that some of his spittle landed on her face downtown. Why? She was trying to warn him against walking out into traffic against the light at a Macdonell Street crossing.

A 45-year-old Guelph man was charged with possessing a weapon for a dangerous purpose and public intoxication last Saturday night after police began receiving calls about an intoxicated man running around downtown and brandishing a 10-inch hunting knife.

Break-Ins

Just after 4 am on Thursday, a private security guard was dispatched to an alarm at a business near Woodlawn and Woolwich, and as he entered the parking lot he saw two men in hoodies fleeing the area on bicycles. Inspection of the business revealed attempts had been made to pry open the rear door, causing minor damage. If you have any information, call Sergeant Chris Probst at 519-824-1212, ext. 7342, email cprobst [at] guelphpolice.ca.

At approximately 8:35 pm on Wednesday, police were called to an address near Paisley and Yorkshire after the resident returned home to find a window broken and the front door ajar. Jewellery, video games, coins and cannabis products were noted to be missing. If you have any information contact Constable Briar Smith at 519-824-1212, ext. 7349, email bsmith [at] guelphpolice.ca.

Drugs

A 65-year-old Guelph man was charged with possessing a controlled substance for the purpose of trafficking and breaching a probation order after police seized $18,000 worth of drugs and three replica firearms. A search warrant was executed on Wednesday as part of an investigation into possible trafficking taking place at a seniors’ residential complex in the city’s north end. Quantities of suspected fentanyl and crystal meth with a value of $18,000, as well as three replica firearms, drug packaging and more than $1,200 cash were all recovered.

Fraud

Once again, police are warning residents about anyone offering unsolicited renovation or repair work. Last Friday morning, police were called after a homeowner reported suspicious men going door-to-door in the east end offering to repair or replace driveways. Then, police and bylaw located a five men crew working on a driveway in the area; none of the men spoke English, but one explained through a translator they wait each morning at a Toronto coffee shop and contractors arrive in vehicles to offer cash for random jobs.

All five men said they have no training or experience doing driveways and none of them could identify what city they were currently in. The “bosses” were not on scene and the workers, believing they were not going to get paid, left the job unfinished. A pickup – believed to belong to one of the bosses but registered to a New York rental company – was parked illegally and was towed by Bylaw.

Officers spoke to several residents in the area who identified the men going door-to-door as having strong Scottish or Irish accents, though one reported one of the males claimed to be from Newfoundland. They also reported they were misled into believing the men were representing the City of Guelph or an approved city contractor. One reported his driveway had been torn up and replaced, but a pile of rubble was left on the road in front of his house.

What can you do?

Be suspicious of any unsolicited offers or claims from unknown individuals
Obtain at least three quotes from reputable companies before entering a contract.
Check online reviews, licenses and Better Business Bureau ratings before hiring any contractor. Also consider asking for references.
Take your time to read and understand any contract before signing, and never feel pressured to make an immediate decision. Speak to family members or a trusted friend to see if they express any concerns.
Consult with your insurance company about coverage and ensure the contractor is working in compliance with your policy.

This week, a man reported he was contacted March 11 by someone calling from a toll-free number. The caller advised the man he had won a prize through a Reader’s Digest contest. In the course of the conversation the complainant provided the caller his bank account details and social insurance number, and over the next two months, more than $67,000 was taken. Residents are encouraged to be wary of any telephone call, email or text which requires you to take immediate action.

A 74-year-old woman lost more than $38,000, while in a separate case a 59-year-old woman lost nearly $11,000 to a cryptocurrency scam. In both recent cases, the victims clicked on Facebook ads featuring images of Prime Minister Mark Carney and promoting supposed investment opportunities. Both were then contacted by someone claiming to be a financial advisor and provided instructions on how to purchase and send cryptocurrency. Residents are encouraged to be cautious when clicking on links or visiting websites.

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 attheir website.

Impaired Driving

A 29-year-old Kitchener woman was charged with impaired driving, dangerous driving, possessing stolen property over $5,000, possessing stolen property under $5,000, four counts of possession for the purpose of trafficking and 11 counts of possessing identity documents Thursday morning. A Kia van, which had licence plates from another stolen vehicle, failed to negotiate a curve in the road and crossed the centre line, hitting another vehicle head-on at Wellington and Imperial. A search revealed quantities of suspected crystal meth, fentanyl, cocaine and Hydromorphone, plus a scale, drug packaging, a large number of identification and other cards in various names.

A 33-year-old Kitchener man was charged with impaired driving, dangerous driving and failing to stop at a red light after a collision early Tuesday at the intersection of Woodlawn and the Hanlon. Investigation revealed a motorist had just completed a left turn off the Hanlon when his car was struck from behind. The impact destroyed both cars. There was a strong odour of alcohol in the second car.

A 32-year-old Guelph man was charged with impaired driving and his licence was suspended for 90 days after police were notified of a possible impaired driver coming into Guelph last Friday. Police located the driver on Waterloo Avenue. Officers noted an odour of alcohol on the driver’s breath and could see several empty beer cans inside the car.

Theft

Police are investigating after a bank was robbed early last Saturday. At approximately 8:40 am police were called to Gordon and Clair. A lone man entered the bank armed with a handgun and stole a quantity of cash. The suspect is described as a black male with dark skin, mid- to late-20s, 6’ and wearing a white or grey sweater, black pants, a pink silk mask and a black hat. The gun was left at the scene. If you have any information or dashcam video, email the Major Case Unit at mcu [at] guelphpolice.ca.

On Wednesday, four men entered a business at Stone Road Mall and browsed the fragrances section before leaving with a boxed set from a display near the front door. They returned a short time later and stole the remaining sets and when they tried for a third they were stopped by staff. A total of six fragrance sets with a total value of $1,056 were stolen. The suspects were described as:

Tanned male, 5’10”, medium build, dark curly hair, black hoodie, sweatpants and sneakers
White male, 6’, heavy build, longer brown hair and facial hair, black hoodie, sweatpants and sneakers and a beanie-style hat
Black male, 6’, medium build, black braided hair, mustache, black hoodie, sweatpants and sneakers
Tanned male, 5’8”, thin build, curly black hair, mustache, black and grey Nike track suit, black and white sneakers.

They were seen getting into a blue minivan. If you have any information is asked to contact Constable Jonathan Schleen at 519-824-1212, ext. 7570, or email jschleen [at] guelphpolice.ca.

Police are investigating after four women entered the business near Gordon and Clair at 5 pm on Sunday and began speaking to an employee, drawing her to the back of the store. Three other women then entered and began placing products inside their clothing. All four women then left the store with 70 items that had a value of $11,400. The four were described as:

Brown skin, 5’8”, medium build, black loose dress, black and white striped shirt, grey head covering, blue face mask
Brown skin, 5’7”, heavy build, colourful loose skirt, pink long shirt, beige cardigan, white face mask
Brown skin, 5’5”, small build, colourful loose skirt, long white blouse, white headscarf, white face mask
Brown skin, 5’8”, heavy build, black winter jacket, black and white polka dot skirt, grey shirt, beige headscarf, blue face mask

Anyone with information is asked to call Constable Jonathan Schleen at 519-824-1212, ext. 7570, or email jschleen [at] guelphpolice.ca.

At approximately 4:45 pm last Wednesday, two men entered a business on Woodlawn Road West where they selected $1,400 worth of power tools and walked out. Both were described as South Asian males in their 30s, average height and medium to heavy builds and dark hair. They were seen leaving in a black Ram pickup with chrome rims.

The next day, at approximately 6:50 pm, four men entered the same business. They used bolt cutters to open a product cage and removed a quantity of power tools with an estimated value of $4,500. All four were described as South Asian, in their 30s, 5’9” to 6’ with medium to heavy builds and black hair. They were seen leaving in a black Ford Bronco.

If you have any information call Constable Anthony Hall at 519-824-1212, ext. 7582, or email anthall [at] guelphpolice.ca.

Police are looking for two people in regards to a distraction theft on April 23. A woman in her 70s attended a downtown bank and withdrew cash from an ATM, and as she was leaving the bank she stopped to help a woman who had dropped some coins on the floor, then noticed another woman standing very close behind her. Her wallet was taken nearly $2,000 in withdrawals and purchases were made using her card. Anyone who recognizes them or has other information is asked to call Constable Jennifer Probst at 519-824-1212, ext. 7296, email jprobst [at] guelphpolice.ca.

Police are investigating after more than $5,000 worth of tools and copper were stolen from a construction site near College and Edinburgh. The project manager reported Monday morning that some of their tool crates had been entered over the weekend after the locks were cut off. Loose copper fittings were also stolen. If you have any information call Constable Jonathan Schleen at 519-824-1212, ext. 7570, email jschleen [at] guelphpolice.ca.

A 33-year-old Guelph man was charged with possessing stolen property over $5,000, possessing a prohibited weapon, two counts of possessing controlled substances and possessing a weapon contrary to an order last Saturday after police stopped a man riding an ebike and carrying another. No only were the ebikes the ones stolen Saturday afternoon from an address just outside downtown, but a search revealed a can of bear spray and quantities of suspected crystal meth and cocaine.

Theft (Auto)

On Wednesday, a 32-year-old London man was arrested by another police service and returned to Guelph. He’s charged with three counts of possessing stolen property over $5,000 for three stolen high-end vehicles that were recovered in May 2023. A then-19-year-old London man was arrested for the theft in June 2023, but he is currently wanted after missing a court appearance last summer.

A 56-year-old Guelph man was charged with motor vehicle theft, possessing stolen property over $5,000 and possessing a prohibited weapon after a VW Jetta was stolen from a business near Eramosa and Victoria after the owner left it running while he went inside. Two hours later, officers patrolling near Woolwich and Speedvale discovered the Jetta in a parking lot with a man sitting in the driver’s seat.

Traffic

Just after 3 pm on Monday, police received a report of an erratic driver in the area of York and Victoria when officers spotted a Ram pickup truck driving at a high rate of speed and turning onto College Avenue East without stopping at a red light. The truck was last seen speeding towards the University of Guelph campus. In the interest of public safety officers did not pursue it. If you have any information or footage, email Constable Scott Bangay at sbangay [at] guelphpolice.ca or Constable Todd Weinstein at tweinstein [at] guelphpolice.ca.

Other Notes

A 31-year-old Guelph man was arrested for voyeurism and committing an indecent act. A resident near Silvercreek and Greengate was getting changed when she saw a neighbour standing in his open patio door while staring at her and touching himself.

Total calls for service last week: 1,722

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.