Just a day after the Chatham-Kent Police Service held a press conference about the rash of truck thefts in Wallaceburg, the Middlesex OPP have handed out more charges to the two suspects.
The OPP have also issued an arrest warrant for a third suspect.
Middlesex OPP officials said with assistance from the Middlesex County OPP Crime Unit, the Chatham-Kent Police Service, the Oneida Nation of the Thames Police, the London Police Service (LPS), and the OPP Forensic Identification Services (FIS), they charged three people with property related offences.
After two suspects were arrested in Chatham-Kent on November 2, members from the Middlesex County OPP and the Chatham-Kent Police Service Crime Units commenced a joint investigation into a series of thefts of vehicles and break and enter incidents, which occurred throughout Middlesex County, in October.
A green GMC sport utility vehicle (SUV) was stolen from a business lot in the 6000 block of Colonel Talbot Road, London, on October 16.
Overnight into October 17, a red GMC pickup truck, and a blue Buick car were stolen from a residence in the 2800 block of Longwoods Road, in Southwest Middlesex. Later that morning, a residential break, enter, and theft, in which firearms were stolen, occurred in the 8000 block of Decker Drive, in Middlesex Centre.
In London, sometime after 4:30 p.m. on October 26, a grey GMC was stolen from a residential driveway in the 600 block of Alanbrook Street, and a black GMC pickup truck was stolen from a residential driveway in the 700 block of Wilkins Street. Later that evening, a theft of gas occurred at a business in the 200 block of Wharncliffe Road. At approximately 12:15 a.m. on October 27, a break, enter, and theft, where consumables were stolen, occurred at a business in the 3000 block of Wonderland Road.
A black GMC pickup truck was stolen from a residential driveway in the 500 block of Forest Edge Road, in London between 9:00 p.m. on October 30, and 4:41 a.m. on October 31. In the early morning hours of October 31, an attempted break, enter, and theft occurred at a business in the 21000 block of Melbourne Road, Southwest Middlesex, but the suspects were unsuccessful in gaining access to the interior of a building.
As a result of the subsequent police investigations, the Middlesex County OPP charged an 18-year-old man, who resides on Chippewas of the Thames First Nation, a 17-year-old male, who resides on Chippewas of the Thames First Nation, and a 17-year-old male, of no fixed address.
The youths cannot be identified in accordance with the Youth Criminal Justice Act (YCJA).
A total of 48 Criminal Code of Canada (CC) charges have been laid, including:
– Break, enter a place – commit indictable offence
– Break and enter a place and steal a firearm
– Break, enter a place – with intent to commit indictable offence
– Knowledge of unauthorized possession of firearm
– Possession of break in instruments
– Possession of property obtained by crime under $5,000 – in Canada
– Theft over $5,000 of a motor vehicle
– Theft under $5,000 of a motor vehicle
– Theft under $5,000
– Trafficking in firearm, weapon, device, or ammunition
– Driving while disqualified
– Fail to comply with conditions of an undertaking
– Fail to comply with probation order
Additionally, police recovered four stolen motor vehicles: a black GMC SUV, a red GMC pickup truck, a blue Buick car, and a black GMC pickup truck.
The 17-year-old (of no fixed address) and the 18-year-old accused’s will be appearing in the London courts to answer to the charges.
A warrant of arrest has been issued for the second 17-year-old accused.
Const. Liz Melvin, community safety officer for the Middlesex OPP, said these are all new charges.
“The total of 48 charges were laid by the Middlesex County OPP against the three individuals,” Mevlin told the Sydenham Current.
“They are in addition to any charges laid by the Chatham-Kent Police Service. The 18-year-old, and 17-year-old of no fixed address, are the two who were arrested by Chatham-Kent Police. There is an arrest warrant issued for the third person.”
Here is our coverage from the Chatham-Kent Police Service press conference on Tuesday:
More charges in Wallaceburg truck theft case
