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.
Hate Crimes
There was a third incident of hate-related graffiti at the Chabad of Guelph pop-up at Gordon and College, this time at approximately 1:45 am last Saturday; police were called after anti-Semitic graffiti was discovered. Police are asking for assistance identifying the man in the photographs above. It is not known if the three incidents are related but they are all under investigation by members of the Guelph Police Service Hate Crime Investigative Unit. Anyone with information about the recent incidents is asked to email HateCrimeInvestigativeGroup [at] guelphpolice.ca.
Assault
On Thursday, a 65-year-old Guelph man was arrested for assault with a weapon and uttering threats for an incident earlier this month where a man accused a woman he knew of stealing his belongings and then striking her in the head with a cane.
A 35-year-old Guelph man is charged with assault and food fraud after a man ordered a meal and then refused to pay for it at a west end restaurant. When an employee tried to prevent him from leaving he was shoved several times before the suspect fled. The victim was not injured.
A 27-year-old Guelph man was charged with sexual assault and assault early Sunday after a waitress was touched inappropriately by a man who was unknown to her. The woman reacted and pushed the man away, but was then punched twice in the face causing a minor injury. The man fled but was located a short distance away and arrested.
Break-Ins
Just after 11:30 pm on June 14, police were contacted by the manager of a business on Silvercreek Parkway North about an alarm activation. Surveillance video showed a vehicle entering the parking lot just before 11 pm before a woman approached the store with a small crowbar-style tool in her hand and was able to pry open a door. The woman entered the business and left a few minutes later with a large bag full of products believed to be clothing. The suspect was described as a white female with brown or dark red hair and wearing a black sweater, black pants and tan work boots. She was driving a grey Honda Odyssey van. If you have any information call Constable Louis Kittle at 519-824-1212, ext. 7589, or email lkittel [at] guelphpolice.ca.
Drugs
A 47-year-old Kitchener man was charged with two counts of possession for the purpose of trafficking and three counts of breaching a probation order after officers observed a Mercedes leaving an address known to be associated with the drug trade. When police approached the car, they could see suspected crack cocaine in the driver’s lap and that a woman had a banking application open on her phone. The driver was arrested and a search of the vehicle revealed quantities of suspected fentanyl as well as scales contaminated with drug residue, drug packaging and more than $600 cash.
Fraud
At approximately 11:30 am on June 10 officers were called to a south-end bank. An employee reported a man was in the branch attempting to open an account, however staff believed the documents he was using to prove his identity were fake. He left before police arrived. The man was described as white, in his 30s with a slim build. If you have any information call Constable Philip Surafel at 519-824-1212, ext. 7815, or email psurafel [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.
Impaired Driving
A 29-year-old Guelph man was charged with impaired driving, driving without proof of insurance and driving with improper lighting on Wednesday evening after an officer spotted a pick-up driving without lights on Victoria Road South. The vehicle made several lane changes without signaling and when the officer pulled it over the driver mounted the curb before driving back onto the road.
A 44-year-old Fergus man was charged with impaired driving and driving while prohibited just after midnight on Wednesday. Tests determined that he had more than three times the legal limit of alcohol in his system. Investigation revealed the man is also a prohibited driver.
A 52-year-old Guelph man was charged with impaired driving and dangerous driving last Friday afternoon after a two-vehicle collision at Woodlawn and Dawson where a stopped vehicle had been rear-ended.
A 27-year-old Guelph man was charged with impaired driving, driving while prohibited and three counts of possessing an identity document on Friday evening after police received a report of a vehicle being driven erratically on Wellington Street East. Officers located and stopped the vehicle on York Road and noted the driver appeared drowsy and confused. The man said he didn’t have his driver’s licence with him and appeared surprised when officers pointed to his wallet in the centre console. While searching the vehicle officers located three identity documents in other people’s names.
Theft
On Sunday morning, police were called to a business near Clair and Laird after a lock had been cut to gain access to the yard and two vehicles parked to block the gates had been moved causing damage to both. A white 2020 Volvo truck and trailer had been stolen and inside the trailer was 16 See-Doo personal watercrafts valued at more than $80,000. Anyone with information is asked to contact Constable Bellal Eidokheil at 519-824-1212, ext. 7606 or email beidokheil [at] guelphpolice.ca
An 18-year-old Guelph man was charged with robbery on Friday near Edinburgh and Stone after he walked out with product he didn’t pay for. The store manager followed the man, who became verbally aggressive before charging at the victim and attempting to punch him. The victim was not injured.
Theft (Auto)
At approximately 4:15 pm on Wednesday, a Fergus woman contacted police and said she had information where her stolen truck could be. Officers attended the area of Gladstone and Metcalfe and located the white 1988 GMC. It had been reported stolen early Tuesday. The investigation is ongoing so if you have any information call Constable Jessica Belcastro at 519-824-1212, ext. 7287, or email jbelcastro [at] guelphpolice.ca.
On Tuesday, a Fergus woman reported she had parked her truck at a location in Guelph’s east end at approximately 4:30 am and noticed it missing two hours later. It is described as a white 1988 GMC diesel pickup with orange rims, a black grille, oversized rack on the back and an orange OBM sticker on the driver’s side. If you have any information, call Constable Jessica Belcastro at 519-824-1212, ext. 7287, or email jbelcastro [at] guelphpolice.ca.
Traffic
On Thursday, a 14-year-old Guelph boy attended the police station with his parents and was arrested for flight from police, dangerous driving, taking a motor vehicle without consent and driving without a licence for an incident on Wednesday afternoon. Police attempted to stop a vehicle in the area of Clair and Gordon but it ended up speeding, running a red light, and skipping several stops signs while going nearly double the speed limit.
A 20-year-old Guelph man was charged with speeding and stunt driving on Monday night after the Traffic Unit was patrolling near Wellington and the Hanlon Expressway and clocked a vehicle travelling 119 kilometres per hour in a 70 zone.
Other Notes
Tuesday morning police were called to a construction site at Eramosa and Brant. Two youths were caught on video the previous evening smashing windows on two vehicles parked in the construction zone. This follows a complaint on Monday involving thousands of dollars in damage to vehicles, equipment and a site trailer over the weekend. It is not known if the incidents are related, but the investigations are ongoing. If you have any information, call Constable Liam Gallivan at 519-824-1212, ext. 7617, or email lgallivan [at] guelphpolice.ca.
A 35-year-old Guelph man was arrested for three counts of mischief under $5,000 and being unlawfully in a dwelling Tuesday afternoon after police were called to an address near Elmira and Flaherty. At one house he had repeatedly thrown a crate at their front door – causing damage to the frame – and then destroyed their mailbox, then threw a watering can, smashing the glass front door at a second and then going to a third, opening the garage and knocking over an e-bike before repeatedly kicking the home’s front door, causing minor damage.
Total calls for service last week: 1,619
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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