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 37-year-old Guelph man was located downtown and arrested for sexual assault and committing an indecent act after a woman reported to police that she met a man known to her early Wednesday morning and the two were able to enter a downtown business, where the man exposed himself. A second woman reported to police Wednesday that the same man had touched her inappropriately earlier that morning.
An 18-year-old Guelph man was arrested for assault and uttering threats on Tuesday for a fight at a party near Grange and Watson last Friday night. One of the men was punched and kicked approximately 40 times before other guests intervened. After they were separated the accused uttered several death threats. The victim sustained bruises and swelling to his head and face and bruises on his torso.
A 27-year-old Guelph man was located downtown and arrested for assaulting a police officer Monday after a call last Friday afternoon where officers attended an address downtown to assist with apprehending a man under the Mental Health Act. The man resisted and spat directly into one officer’s face. He was arrested and transported to hospital for treatment.
Break-Ins
Last Saturday afternoon police were called to an address near Victoria and Woodlawn where a resident came home at about 11 pm the night before and noticed two guitars that were hanging on the wall were missing. The missing guitars have little financial value but were given to the victim by his children more than 20 years ago and have significant sentimental value. They were described as an orange and black Epiphone acoustic electric and a black Gretsch acoustic electric. If you have any information, call Constable Jen Probst at 519-824-1212, ext. 7296, or email jprobst [at] guelphpolice.ca.
On Sunday evening, a resident near Downey and Ptarmigan called police after arriving home to find the rear patio door had been smashed. Several lock boxes were pried open and a quantity of Chinese currency as well as a gold necklace were stolen. The break-in occurred between 2 pm and 9:15 pm on Sunday. Then, on Monday evening, another resident in the same neighbourhood called police after being away for a few days and came home to find her patio door smashed. Several areas of the home were ransacked but it was not immediately clear what was stolen. It is not known if the two incidents are related but anyone with information is asked to call the Guelph Police Service at 519-824-1212.
Drugs
A 41-year-old Guelph man has been charged with possession for the purpose of trafficking – schedule I cocaine, possession of property obtained by crime under $5,000 – breach probation. after he was arrested inside a business near Fife and Elmira on Thursday. A search revealed about $31,000 in cocaine and nearly $2,800 in Canadian currency. (See photo above.)
Fraud
On Friday morning, a 86-year-old Guelph woman called police and said that she had received a call from someone the day before claiming to be with her bank and reporting her cards had been used fraudulently in Alberta. The supposed representative arranged to have the complainant hand over her debit and credit cards so they could be destroyed, and at 5 pm a man described as having brown skin, 5’5”, 150 pounds and wearing a black toque attended her address and was given an envelope with the cards inside. They were subsequently used to make a number of purchases and withdrawals. If you have any information, call Constable Ashton Pilkey at 519-824-1212, ext. 7597, or email apilkey [at] guelphpolice.ca.
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.
Human Trafficking/IPV
Guelph Police is promoting the fact that National Human Trafficking Awareness Day is on February 22 and its goal is to raise awareness of human trafficking and to promote action against this crime, both within Canada and internationally. If someone is being trafficked, knows someone who is, or has information or questions about Human Trafficking, they can contact:
- Guelph Police Service at 519-824-1212 or humantraffickingunit [at] guelphpolice.ca
- Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-833-900-1010
- Anonymous tips can be left at CRIME STOPPERS 1-800-222-TIPS (8477) or submitted online at http://www.csgw.tips
On Tuesday, a 30-year-old Guelph man was arrested after child sexual abuse and exploitation material was found on a device seized during an investigation in December. The Internet Child Exploitation Unit began an investigation after receiving information from the US-based National Centre for Missing and Exploited Children about materials being uploaded to a social media app.
Theft
Just before 4 pm on Tuesday police responded to a robbery in progress at a jewelry store inside Stone Road Mall. While one suspect waited in the car, four armed with hammers smashed display cases in the store. They left with an undisclosed quantity of jewelry and were last seen travelling southbound on Edinburgh Road South. The suspects were described as:
1. Male, black, slim build, tall, wearing a black hooded sweater, black pants, black boots, wearing a light-coloured medical mask, light coloured gloves, carrying a red grocery bag.
2. Male, black, medium build, tall, wearing a black long-sleeved top, black pants, white sneakers, black ski mask, lime green gloves, carrying a small rubber sledge-style hammer.
3. Male, black, slim build, average height, wearing a black hooded puffer jacket, black pants, black sneakers with grey accents, possibly Nikes, light coloured gloves, carrying a construction style hammer with a green grocery bag.
4. Male, unknown race, medium build, tall, wearing a black hooded sweater, black Nike trackpants, black sneakers, black ski mask, yellow and black garden style gloves, carrying a red Metro grocery bag.
5. No physical description; remained in vehicle.
The vehicle involved was a white four-door Honda Civic, approximately 2018, with five-spoke rims, sunroof, low to the ground, two-tone (black and white) side mirrors. It bore license plate DFEX781, which is registered to a different vehicle. No physical injuries were reported by anyone inside the store. If you have any information, email the General Investigations Unit at gisp-a [at] guelphpolice.ca.
A 26-year-old Guelph man was charged with two counts of fail to comply with judicial release order, break enter a place – commit indictable offence, seven counts of mischief under $5,000, theft under $5,000, seven counts of theft of mail, and possession of property obtained by crime under $5,000. The crimes include a break in at the same north end business three times in three days, a break-in at a parking garage and vandalism of several cars, an attempted break-in at a residential building, and theft and vandalism in the the vestibule of a different residential building. Numerous items including cameras, cell phone boosters, laptops, desktop computer, utility switches, and cloud keys have not yet been recovered, though numerous financial cards and other documents not belonging to the man were. If you have any information Constable Konrad Babol at 519-824-1212 ext. 7189, or email him at kbabol [at] guelphpolice.ca.
Theft (Auto)
A 40-year-old Guelph man was charged with motor vehicle theft, driving while prohibited and several counts of possessing stolen property over and under $5,000 on Wednesday in connected to a series of vehicle thefts in December. A 26-year-old Cambridge man and 20-year-old Cambridge woman were previously arrested in connection to the crimes.
Traffic
A 23-year-old Guelph man downtown arrested for possessing stolen property over $5,000, occupying a vehicle without consent, driving while prohibited and breaching a probation order on Wednesday after a collision with a tree on Stevenson Street North. Then, two hours after the man was released from custody, police were called for a report of a stolen vehicle on Macdonell Street and it was located in another jurisdiction the next morning. The same man is now facing additional charges including theft of motor vehicle, dangerous driving and failing to stop after a collision.
Other Notes
A 43-year-old Guelph male has been charged with fail to comply with judicial release order and breach probation after police found him in the lobby of a residential building just outside downtown. He was on a curfew of 9 pm-6 am.
Total calls for service last week: 1,498
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.tip.
Guelph Politico 