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 38-year-old Kitchener man was later arrested for two counts each of assault and uttering threats after police were called to an address on Woodlawn Road West. Investigation revealed a man and his adult son intervened in a possible domestic dispute Wednesday evening after witnessing a man and woman arguing.
A 37-year-old Guelph man was charged with two counts of possessing a weapon contrary to an order, four counts of breaching probation orders, resisting arrest and possessing a controlled substance after police received security camera footage of a man carrying a crossbow with a scope outside a business on Woolwich Street. The suspect is bound by several court orders prohibiting him from possessing weapons and a quantity of suspected methamphetamine was found on him when he was arrested.
Break-Ins
At approximately 3:45 am, police were dispatched to a business on Stone Road West. Investigation revealed unknown suspects had attempted to pry open a front door and in the process broke a large window causing thousands of dollars in damage. No entry to the business was gained. Less than 20 minutes later, officers were called to a business on Wellington Street East, where they found a glass door had been smashed and a security gate forcibly removed. Inside the store, glass display cases had been smashed and a large amount of product as well as cash was reported missing. Security cameras caught two males arriving at the business in a dark-coloured sedan at approximately 3:50 am and using a hammer to gain entry. Both were wearing high-visibility vests. If you have any information call Constable Matt Ball at 519-824-1212, ext. 7525, or email mball [at] guelphpolice.ca.
Police were called Tuesday morning to a business near Elizabeth and Victoria where sometime overnight two suspects cut a hole in a fence to gain access to the yard. Several vehicles and trailers were entered and oxygen and acetylene tanks were reported stolen. Both suspects were described as wearing dark pants, hoodies and backpacks. If you have any information call Constable Jen Probst at 519-824-1212, ext. 7296, or email jprobst [at] guelphpolice.ca.
Just before 1 pm last Saturday, officers were dispatched to an address near Beaver Meadow and McArthur after the owner returned home to discover a side window smashed. The home’s surveillance cameras had been disabled and several closets ransacked. A suspicious male described as being in his 30s or 40s, 5’7” with an average build and tanned skin and wearing a dark t-shirt and shorts and a black hat was seen in the area around the same time. If you have any information call Constable Andrew Kamenz at 519-824-1212, ext. 7566, or email akamenz [at] guelphpolice.ca.
Drugs
Eight people were arrested Wednesday during a patrol initiative aimed at addressing public illicit drug use downtown. Two men and a woman were charged with possessing controlled substances after officers saw them smoking from pipes in clear view of members of the public and in areas where children and vulnerable community members were present. Those arrested had their illegal substances seized and were offered information on available supports before being released.
Fraud
Police are investigating after a local couple was scammed out of approximately $25,000 USD. On Wednesday afternoon the victims reported they had been contacted by someone claiming to represent their bank who was investigating possible fraud. During the call they were informed a courier would pick up their banking cards, and a man later attended their address and did so. The complainants were instructed to attend their bank to obtain new cards, but when they went on Wednesday staff informed them there was no appointment booked. Investigation revealed funds had been withdrawn from their account. If you have any information, call Constable Briar Smith at 519-824-1212, ext. 7349, or email bsmith [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
On Thursday afternoon, a 69-year-old Guelph man was arrested for two counts of arranging by telecommunication to commit a sexual offence against a child after an investigation that started in April. Two residents who communicated with an individual after finding a phone number written on the bathroom wall at a south-end business, and one witness told the man he was 12 years old and the two arranged to meet for sex. The witnesses later confronted the suspect when he arrived at the supposed meet-up. An undercover officer posing as a 15-year-old boy later communicated with a man and arranged to meet at a local park.
Impaired Driving
A 66-year-old Guelph woman was charged with impaired driving on Monday evening after police were informed about someone driving erratically near Victoria and York. Officers located the vehicle in a south-end driveway and spoke to the driver as she walked towards a residence. She was unsteady on her feet and had a strong odour of alcohol on her breath.
A 19-year-old Arthur man was charged with impaired driving, careless driving and young driver having alcohol in his system last Saturday morning after police found an SUV approximately 100 metres off the road in a field near Laird and Downey. After failing a roadside breath test, the man was arrested and transported to the police station.
Theft
At approximately 2:20 pm on Tuesday, police were called to a business near Gordon and Clair after a man had entered the business and placed more than $300 worth of baby formula into a bag before walking out. He was followed outside by two employees, who confronted the man and convinced him to drop the bag. The man was described as approximately 50 years old with brown skin, bald with a large tattoo on his upper right arm. He was wearing a black shirt, white shorts and black running shoes and was last seen fleeing in the passenger seat of a silver Honda Civic. If you have any information, call Constable Jacob Frimeth at 519-824-1212, ext. 7616, or email jfrimeth [at] guelphpolice.ca.
On Monday morning, a resident reported a break-in to a construction trailer near Wellington and Neeve Street after being awakened by a noise just after 4 am and seeing a truck parked next to the trailer within the construction site. Investigation revealed a generator, two breakers and other equipment was missing. The two suspects were wearing all dark clothing and driving a white full-sized pickup with a black modified bed. If you have any information, call Constable Ryan Lue at 519-824-1212, ext. 7395, or email rlue@guelphpolice.ca.
At approximately 12:30 pm last Friday a man and woman were leaving a grocery store on Silvercreek Parkway North when they were approached by a male and female who asked for directions to a church. During the interaction the woman got close to the female victim and was able to remove her gold necklace without the victim noticing. The female suspect was described as possibly Arabic, 5’5” with a heavy build and wearing a hijab and printed clothing. The male was described as possibly Arabic, six feet and wearing a lined collared shirt. Both left the scene in a vehicle. If you have any information, call Constable Dallas Baker at 519-824-1212, ext. 7217, or email dbaker [at] guelphpolice.ca.
On Friday morning, the operations manager of a local construction company reported nearly 50 feet of heavy-duty copper wire worth approximately $22,000 had been cut and removed from a site on Victoria Road North. It is not known when the wire was stolen. If you have any information, call Constable Jessica Belcastro at 519-824-1212, ext. 7287, or email jbelcastro [at] guelphpolice.ca.
On Thursday, a 33-year-old woman and 31-year-old man, both from Hamilton, were arrested on two counts each of theft under $5,000 for the theft of nearly $900 in baby formula at two businesses in the south end back in April.
Two boys, aged 12 and 13, are charged with robbery after a third boy was approached in the area of Victoria and Brant and assaulted before having his backpack and a basketball stolen. The property was later discarded in a portable toilet.
Other Notes
Two members of the Guelph Police Service Traffic Unit participated in a joint initiative last week in Cambridge. A total of 264 commercial motor vehicles were inspected, with 59 taken out of service for various safety defects. Approximately 110 charges were laid and four sets of licence plates were seized.
Total calls for service last week: 1,690
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.
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