Media Release for Wednesday, November 13, 2024

Calls for Service:
(Nov 12 at 8:00am – Nov 13 at 8:00am) 97

Organized Retail Theft Arrests

Two men are facing charges after an incident at a local business Tuesday evening.

At approximately 7:30pm on November 12, 2024, officers were called to the Home Depot at Park Street North and Lansdowne Street about a theft in progress involving two men.  Upon arrival, officers learned that the suspects matched the descriptions of people wanted in connection to a previous incident reported through the online reporting portal to Peterborough Police on November 2, 2024. The suspects are believed to be part of an Organized Crime Retail Theft ring operating throughout the GTA. Both men are bound by various bail orders, originating from cases currently before the Court in Peel Region. The two men were searched incident to arrest and officers seized:

• 1.1 grams of heroin
• .2 grams of fentanyl
• Canadian currency
• Phone
• Drug paraphernalia

As a result of the investigation:

A 24-year-old Toronto man was arrested and charged with:

• Possession of a Schedule I substance for the purpose of Trafficking - Heroin
• Possession of a Schedule I substance for the purpose of Trafficking – Methamphetamine
• Failure to comply with release order - other than to attend court
• Theft under $5000

The accused is currently bound by a release order with the following condition: to reside at a Brampton residence.

A 24-year-old Brampton man, also wanted on an immigration warrant, was arrested and charged with:

• Obstruct Peace Officer
• Failure to comply with release order - other than to attend court x2
• Theft under $5000

The accused is currently bound by a release order with the following conditions to reside at a Brampton residence and if stopped by police to provide proper identification

Both accused are being held in custody and will appear in court today, November 13, 2024.

“The fact that both individuals are at large in our community on various forms of release, one who is also wanted on an immigration warrant is troubling. There is often a perspective that here in Peterborough we are isolated from the issues of the ‘big city’, but as I have been saying for quite some time, we have big city issues to deal with. These suspects travelled from Brampton to commit their crimes in our community and were stopped by the quick response of police officers and thanks to alert staff in Home Depot who recognized them as part of an Organized ring of people stealing from Home Depots across the GTA. We will be sharing identifying information with police services in surrounding jurisdictions to assist in any ongoing investigations in the province.” Stuart Betts, Chief, Peterborough Police Service.

Sandra Dueck
Manager, Strategic Communication Services
Peterborough Police Service
sdueck@peterborough.ca
705-876-1122 x217