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.
Homicide
A 34-year-old Guelph man initially charged with attempted murder and aggravated assault was arrested again on Wednesday and had the charge upgraded to second-degree murder for the August 31 assault of an 80-year-old woman downtown. The victim was transported to hospital with life-threatening injuries but succumbed to her injuries three days after the attack. The incident remains under investigation. Anyone with additional information is asked to contact Detective Constable Joel Apps at 519-824-1212, ext. 7162, or email mcu [at] guelphpolice.ca.
Assault
Just after 9 pm police were called to a business near St. George’s Square after a woman entered asking for help. She was walking in the area a few minutes earlier when a man sitting in a bus shelter called her over. As she leaned over to hear what he was saying the man touched her inappropriately. He was described as being in his late 30s or 40s and wearing a yellow shirt, denim shorts and a dark baseball cap and carrying a blue water bottle. He was last seen walking on Cork towards Norfolk Street. Anyone with information is asked to call Constable Frazer McCrindle at 519-824-1212, ext. 7327, email fmccrindle [at] guelphpolice.ca
A 36-year-old Guelph man was arrested for assault causing bodily harm after a road rage incident last Saturday evening near Rickson and Darnell. Investigation revealed two men had been driving on the Hanlon Expressway when one became upset about the other man’s driving and began following him. Eventually the two stopped their cars and the victim was punched in the face and knocked to the ground. A 23-year-old Guelph man was transported to a Hamilton hospital for treatment of his injuries, including a large laceration on his chin.
A 41-year-old Guelph man is facing nearly 10 weapons charges as well as two counts of breaching probation orders after last Saturday when a staff member at a supportive living home reported he might have seen a firearm. Members of the Guelph Police Tactics and Rescue Unit attended and eventually made entry into the unit to arrest the man. A cannister of pepper spray was found on his person, and a black imitation firearm was later located after a search warrant was obtained for the apartment.
Break-Ins
On Tuesday, an 18-year-old Brampton man was arrested for break and enter, voyeurism, mischief and criminal harassment after an investigation that starting in February. A University of Guelph student learned that non-intimate photos of her had been posted online. The photos appeared to have been taken without her knowledge inside her on-campus residence and there was also a photo of a bra, which caused the victim to check her drawers and locate a bra with possible bodily fluids on it. The suspect arrested is the boyfriend of the victim’s former roommate.
A 35-year-old Guelph man was charged with two counts of break and enter, possessing stolen property under $5,000, obstructing police and three counts of possessing identity documents after a south-end home was entered while the owner was home on Sunday evening. Several items including a laptop were taken, and the suspect initially provided a false name and date of birth but was recognized by an officer from a previous interaction.
Drugs
At approximately 10 pm on Wednesday search warrants were executed at two motel rooms and significant quantities of suspected crystal meth and cocaine, a loaded 9mm handgun with an over-capacity magazine, a quantity of Canadian currency and drug packaging materials were recovered. (See above.) Three Guelph men aged 18 to 41, and two Guelph boys aged 15 and 17 were all jointly charged with two counts of possession for the purpose of trafficking and various weapons offences. The 15-year-old was also charged with possessing stolen property after he was observed during the investigation driving a stolen Honda CRV. A 38-year-old Guelph man and 27-year-old Guelph woman were each charged with two counts of possession for the purpose of trafficking.
Last Saturday morning, a traffic stop at Imperial and Massey lead to a brief foot chase. A witness saw the suspect through items into a nearby bush during the chase and police recovered five baggies containing controlled substances – including suspected fentanyl, crystal meth, cocaine and Oxycodone – and drug paraphernalia. During a search of the man’s property officers recovered two knives, a collapsible baton, a can of bear spray, cash and a stolen driver’s licence. A 29-year-old Dufferin County man was charged with five counts of possessing a controlled substance for the purpose of trafficking, four counts of possessing a weapon for a dangerous purpose, carrying a concealed weapon, 19 counts of driving while prohibited and other offences.
Fraud
On Wednesday, a man contacted police to report that he was contacted through a messaging app by a woman claiming to represent an artificial intelligence-based online store and offering an investment opportunity. He invested $500 and after that investment appeared to grow, he invested $9,600 USD more to an online Bitcoin wallet. When he later attempted to withdraw funds, he was informed there were fees involved and paid an additional $3,000 Canadian. When he was asked to send more money, he instead called police.
On Tuesday, police were called to an east-end address where a woman in her 50s who was seeking pain management advice online when she was contacted through Tik Tok by someone claiming to be a U.S. Army surgeon stationed in Yemen. They corresponded a couple of times, before she received a message saying that the doctor had been arrested and needed assistance getting out of the country. The victim transferred $5,500 through a money transferring app. She was asked to send more money but called police instead. Officers were able to determine the transferred funds were collected through a vendor in Germany, but no further investigation is possible.
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 23-year-old Guelph man was charged with impaired driving and careless driving late Wednesday after a driver failed to negotiate a bend in the road, travelled through two chain link fences and came to a stop on the football field at John F Ross CVI. The two occupants of the vehicle were uninjured. The driver had a bottle of vodka in his jacket pocket and tests confirmed he had more than double the legal amount of alcohol in his system. The heavily-damaged vehicle – which belongs to a friend – was impounded for seven days.
A 43-year-old Guelph man was charged with refusing to provide a sample and impaired driving on Friday night after a witness reported a possible impaired driver. Officers arrived and spoke to a man, who denied he had been drinking and said he just arrived home from work. He was unsteady on his feet and had alcohol on his breath.
A 57-year-old Guelph man was charged with impaired driving on Saturday evening after a possible impaired driver was reported at Silvercreek and Woodlawn. Tests revealed that the driver had nearly double the legal amount of alcohol in his system.
A 64-year-old Guelph man was charged with impaired driving and careless driving after a minor was struck in a hit and run collision on Saturday afternoon. Officers spoke to a man as he walked from his parked vehicle and observed signs of impairment. A pill bottle containing various prescription pills was located inside the vehicle.
Theft
Nothing to report.
Theft (Auto)
Nothing to report.
Traffic
Approximately 5:30 pm on Thursday, police were called to a business near Victoria and Grange after an employee reported he had been involved in a collision near the business 45 minutes earlier while riding an ebike. The driver of the car stopped to check on him but left without providing his contact information. The ebike rider sustained some minor injuries but did not require medical attention. The vehicle was described as a white Honda with a male driver and female passenger. If you have any information, call Constable Todd Weinstein via email at tweinstein [at] guelphpolice.ca.
Two people were charged following a collision on Woodlawn Road West Wednesday afternoon. An 18-year-old Guelph man was charged with driving while prohibited, and a Waterloo woman in her 70s was charged under the Highway Traffic Act with failing to yield right of way from a driveway.
A 32-year-old Guelph man was charged with dangerous driving, carrying a concealed weapon, possessing a prohibited weapon, possessing a controlled substance, seven counts of driving while prohibited and two counts of breaching a probation order on Tuesday afternoon after a motorcycle was seen driving dangerously on Speedvale East. A search incident to arrest revealed a spring-assisted knife in his waistband and a baggie with a small amount of suspected cocaine. The man was also found to be a prohibited driver.
Other Notes
A woman reported that someone claiming to be a police officer called he and made arrangements to pick up her bank card after her account was compromised. Someone did pick it up, but the complainant was suspicious and locked her card and no financial loss was reported. The investigation is ongoing. Anyone with information is asked to call Constable Matt Simpson at 519-824-1212, ext. 7318, or email msimpson [at] guelphpolice.ca.
Last Friday, a 20-year-old woman reported that she went into a store at Stone Road Mall and entered the change room area, where she saw a man in the hallway. While changing, she saw someone holding a phone under the stall to record her. She quickly left and confronted the man, who denied filming her and quickly left the area. He was described as white, 20 years, 5’8” with a medium build and brown hair and wearing a blue and white coat with Brooklyn across the chest and grey Michigan State sweatpants. If you have any information, call Constable Liam O’Hanlon at 519-824-1212, ext. 7608, or email lohanlon [at] guelphpolice.ca.
A 22-year-old Guelph man was charged with arson, failing to comply with a release order and breaching a probation order on Tuesday after someone attempted to light a rubber floor mat on fire in a building on Silvercreek Parkway South. Instead, he removed an air freshener from the wall, set it on fire and laid it on top of the floor mat causing it to catch. The fire was quickly extinguished but some residents had to be briefly evacuated due to smoke.
On Sunday a 29-year-old Guelph man was arrested for four counts of committing an indecent act after several women reported he followed them while masturbating and making crude comments.
Total calls for service last week: 1,712
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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