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
Police are asking for help identifying people in connection to an assault at a commercial plaza on Stone Road West during the night of Homecoming at approximately 12:30 am. Officers responded to reports of a physical altercation inside a restaurant vestibule. Two victims were taken to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. Police are asking for the public’s help identifying three people captured on CCTV inside the restaurant. Anyone with information is asked to contact Detective Constable Mallory Woeller at mwoeller [at] guelphpolice.ca or 519-824-1212.
At approximately 6:10 am on Wednesday, police received a 9-1-1 call from a customer at a business near York and Victoria. A woman tried to buy alcohol and other items, and when the clerk refused to sell the alcohol due to the time of day, the woman removed something from her pocket and sprayed the clerk in the face before fleeing with the merchandise. Police would like to speak to the woman in the below photos, and anyone with information is asked to call Constable Nick Dowe at 519-824-1212, ext. 7602, or email ndowe [at] guelphpolice.ca.
Last Friday morning a 12-year-old Guelph boy turned himself in and was arrested for assault causing bodily harm for an incident last month were a Guelph teen suffered facial injuries at a bus shelter near Stone Road Mall. The victim was later treated for a broken tooth and broken facial bone. An 18-year-old Guelph man and 16-year-old Guelph boy were previously arrested for assault causing bodily harm.
Break-Ins
On Tuesday afternoon, police were dispatched to an east-end business after a man was reportedly caught on camera gaining access to the building at approximately 2 am. He took a look around and then left. He returned a short time later with another person and they removed a large number of distinctive Porsche rims and some tools. The complainant contacted a number of scrap metal dealers, one of whom confirmed they had purchased rims matching the description. They were returned to the complainant. The investigation is ongoing and anyone with information is asked to call Constable Matt Simpson at 519-824-1212, ext. 7318, or email msimpson [at] guelphpolice.ca.
A 40-year-old Guelph man was charged with break and enter, mischief over $5,000, possessing stolen property, disguise with intent, two counts of possessing controlled substances, dangerous driving, failing to remain and breaching a probation order after breaking into the fire station on Speedvale Avenue East. The man entered a fire truck and caused damage by ripping out the radio’s microphone and damaging a lever. The damage caused the truck to be taken out of service until it can be repaired. When the man was caught officers recovered a Guelph Fire Department hat and small quantities of suspected methamphetamine and cocaine.
Drugs
A 25-year-old Guelph man and 28-year-old Guelph woman were each charged with two counts of possession for the purpose of trafficking and two counts of possessing a prohibited weapon. The man was also charged with 17 counts of breaching court orders. The investigation began earlier this fall, but the suspects were observed leaving a north-end motel and were placed under arrest. A search of the pair revealed a small quantity of suspected crack cocaine, Dilaudid tablets and cash and a search of the motel room revealed more suspected cocaine, contaminated digital scales and weapons including bear spray, a collapsible baton and hunting knife. The seized drugs have an estimated value of more than $18,000.
Fraud
On Thursday, a store employee received an email at work from someone posing as a senior executive with the company and asking for help purchasing gift cards. After the victim complied with the initial request, the sender made several additional requests. The victim became suspicious, checked with coworkers and learned the requests were fraudulent. The gift card provider was contacted and the cards worth $3,000 were frozen.
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 51-year-old Cambridge man was charged with impaired driving last Saturday night after a vehicle was observed in the area of Gordon and Clair driving very close to the car in front of it, with the driver braking several times to avoid a collision. The driver had more than twice the legal amount of alcohol in his system.
A 24-year-old Guelph woman was charged with impaired operation and possessing a controlled substance early Sunday after police were called to a north-end retirement home for a woman passed out in a vehicle that was blocking the driveway. Officers observed signs of impairment and located a baggie in the cup holder with a white crystal substance.
Theft
Shortly after 10 am on Thursday, two individuals approached a bicycle rack near a school’s front entrance, removed the secured bicycle and left the area. The bicycle is valued is at approximately $500. The first suspect was wearing a white-and-black coat, black hood, grey pants and light-coloured shoes. The second was wearing a bright orange high-visibility work jacket, a black baseball cap worn backwards, light-coloured pants and black shoes. The suspects were last seen travelling south on Dublin and then east on Cork. If you have any information, including video from the area, is asked to contact Constable Mackenzie Sissing at MSissing [at] guelphpolice.ca or 519-824-1212 x7553.
On Friday morning officers, attended the Old Quebec Street Shoppes after staff reported four large lights were stolen from outside the mall over two nights in late September. The lights are valued at $3,300 each, which does not include a significant cost to repair the damage. The suspect appeared to be a male dressed in black clothing and wearing a hat. On the second occasion he was accompanied by a woman with a dog. Anyone with information is asked to call Constable Anthoine Walker at 519-824-1212, ext. 7584, or email awalker [at] guelphpolice.ca.
A 35-year-old Guelph man was charged with possessing stolen property over $5,000, possessing stolen property under $5,000, theft under $5,000, possessing break-in instruments and two counts of breaching probation orders after police interrupted a metal theft at an east-end business early Wednesday. The suspect had brass and copper plates in his possession, and he was standing beside a spray-painted Toyota Camry which had earlier been reported stolen and had the Camry owner’s wallet in his possession.
Theft (Auto)
Just after 1:30 am on Tuesday police were called to the area of Victoria and Decorso where two men were attempting to enter his Toyota Land Cruiser. He yelled at the men who fled to a waiting vehicle. The Toyota’s sunroof was found to have a hole smashed in it. The suspects were described as young males with slim builds. Both were wearing tight sweaters and had their faces covered. They fled in a sedan described as loud and possibly modified. Anyone with information is asked to call Constable Jillian Crawford-Bourke at 519-824-1212, ext. 7583, or email jcrawford-bourke [at] guelphpolice.ca.
Traffic
Shortly before 2 pm last Friday a member of the Traffic Unit was patrolling near Kortright and Edinburgh when he observed a blue motorcycle being driven dangerously and speeding. The officer followed the motorcycle and attempted to pull it over, however the operator fled and was last seen on College towards the Hanlon Expressway. The motorcycle is believed to be 1994-1998 Yamaha YZF 600R Thundercat. Anyone with information is asked to call Constable Andrew Hildebrandt at 519-824-1212, ext. 7263, or email ahildebrandt [at] guelphpolice.ca.
Shortly after 1 am on Friday, police were called after a vehicle travelling west on Willow near Imperial left the roadway and struck a parked vehicle. The two occupants of the moving vehicle were taken to a hospital outside the region with serious injuries. Then, at approximately 4:45 am, while police were still at the scene investigating when a vehicle mounted the curb in the closed area. It narrowly missed a light pole and a marked police cruiser parked on the roadway before coming to a stop. A 24-year-old Guelph woman is charged with refusing to comply with a demand for a breath sample The investigation is ongoing so anyone with information, dashcam or security video from the area is asked to contact Constable Steven Ladoucer at SLadouceur [at] guelphpolice.ca or 519-824-1212 x7483.
A 47-year-old Kitchener man was charged with stunt driving Tuesday night after a speed enforcement at Woodlawn and Elmira clocked a black Hyundai doing 112 kilometres per hour in a posted 60 zone.
An 18-year-old Oakville man was charged with speeding, stunt driving and careless driving on Monday night after a member of the Traffic Unit was patrolling near Gordon and Dean when he clocked a BMW travelling at 112 kilometres per hour in a posted 40 zone.
A 40-year-old Kitchener man was charged with speeding, stunt driving and driving with an expired licence last Saturday afternoon after a patrol near Wellington and Imperial clocked a motorcycle travelling 121 kilometre per hour in a posted 60 zone.
Four other drivers were charged last weekend after they were caught driving more than 40 kilometres per hour over the speed limit. Each had their vehicles seized and their licences suspended. A stunt driving conviction will attract a minimum licence suspension of one year, a minimum fine of $2,000 and six demerit points
Other Notes
On Tuesday night, a 13-year-old boy was arrested at his home and charged with three counts of uttering threats after Guelph Police were made aware of threats made in an online forum that afternoon, someone had threatened two specific students as well as the wider school community.
Total calls for service last week: 1,647
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.
