On May 8th, 2024, a break and enter occurred at the Sarnia Imperials Football Clubhouse situated at the Norm Perry Park, where various football gear, including an expensive helmet and audio equipment, was stolen.
This crime had a great impact on the football club, as they operate as a not-for-profit organization managed by hard-working volunteers with a very limited budget.
The police investigation revealed that a 40-year-old man of no fixed address, sold the helmet, which was originally valued at $500, to a local pawnshop for $80.00.
On May 6th, 2025, police arrested the suspect for the following offences:
– Possession of property obtained by crime under $5000
– Trafficking property obtained by crime under $5000
He was released on an Undertaking with Conditions and will appear in court on June 9, 2025.
The Sarnia Police Service Intelligence Unit was able to recover the stolen helmet from the pawnshop and return it to the Sarnia Imperial Football. Fortunately, the helmet was still in new condition with the tags attached.
As a result of the investigation and the relationship built between the football club and the Sarnia Police Service, the following SPS members have since volunteered with the Sarnia Imperial Football Club
Detective Josh Mitchell – Offensive Coordinator
Detective Constable Karl Brown – Defensive Coordinator
Constable Colin Sullivan – Assistant Coach
Andrew Barnes, President and CEO of the Sarnia Imperials Football Club, stated, “upon meeting up with SPS to retrieve our property, I struck up a conversation with the investigating officer and subsequently we were able to build a relationship and are now proud to have three officers on our volunteer staff specifically helping coaching. This means so much to our team, as we have always tried to strive for community involvement. I’m thrilled to have the three SPS members on our team and hope, in turn, we can bring back the love of the sport to them and the entire community. We welcome any volunteers and are extremely grateful for the partnership with SPS and look forward to a lasting relationship”.
